The beauty and importance of bumblebees have been inspiring artists for centuries and poetry is one medium which can, and has, been used effectively to communicate important messages about the plight of these vital creatures.
Poetry is also an excellent way to encourage children to observe, learn and think about bumblebees. Here at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust we regularly receive phonecalls from parents and teachers who are worried about their childrens’ safety because they have discovered a bumblebee nest in their gardens at home or at school. Our approach is always to encourage the callers to use the opportunity to teach their children to respect bumblebees and observe their wonderful behaviour from a safe distance. Linking this to art projects (be it bumblebee finger painting or creative writing) can add an extra element of fun.
BBCT supporter Kris Spencer did just that when he discovered a bumblebee nest under his shed.
His son, Theo, was very excited about the discovery and worked with Kris to illustrate the poem; his daughter Annabelle, a little too young to join in, enjoyed watching from her pram. We hope you are inspired by their creativity.
We’ve got bumblebees under our shed
By Kris Spencer
We’ve got bumblebees under our shed
My dad says we’re lucky
They’re choosy, he said
They fly in and fly out
Through a hole under the door
Dad says, they smell their way in
By leaving scent on the floor
My mum looked up bumblebee nests on the Net
There is a queen, who’s the boss, but we’ve not seen her yet
Mum says that the nest will be mossy and cool
With pods for the youngsters who go to bee school
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We’ve got bumblebees
Living under our shed
I’m too young to talk yet
So I just smile instead
There’s a place by the shed which is sunny and warm
Mum sets me down there and the bees keep me calm
They are stripy and furry and a little bit round
I never cry when I see them, bees don’t like that sound
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We’ve got humans living outside our shed
The queen says we’re lucky
They’re choosy, she said
They seem to come out
When the weather is hot
We’ve seen a boy and a girl
A mum, dad and cat
The boy says, ‘Hello bees!’, but leaves us in peace
(The cat ignores us completely which is quite a relief)
The boy is quite noisy and the girl likes to sing
But taken together that’s quite a good thing
We follow their voices coming back from the fields
We think that’s one reason for our high nectar yields
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ADVICE FROM THE BUMBLEBEES
If you don’t have a shed but would like bumblebees
You might start in Spring by planting the flowers we need
We like apple blossom, bell heather and big flowering camellias
Pretty geraniums, foxgloves and dahlias
Hollyhocks, iris and yellow-flowered laburnum
Kidney vetch, lavender and herb-scented marjoram
Nasturtium, ox daisies and the sweetness of rose hips
Red clover, sweet pea, and a wide range of tulips
Teasel, verbena and rambling wisteria
With so many plants it really couldn’t be easier
And as we want to be your invited guest
Why not make us our very own nest
By sinking a flower pot into the ground
Fill it with soft bedding which is easily found
And then put a slate on the top to keep the rain out
For our door, run a hose underground with a prominent spout
We are very good neighbours, you know
We pollinate flowers and help vegetables grow
And as we buzz in and buzz out
Wing to wing
We’ll work hard the whole summer
And come back in the Spring
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