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Bees and FlowersClick on the speaker to hear the words

Mr. Harpers science Mini lesson with audio

Reproduce means to make more of the same thing.

Without reproduction there would be no new babies.

Without reproduction there could be no new plants.

All mammals, and many other animals, give birth to live babies.

All birds and insects, and most reptiles and fish lay eggs when they reproduce.

But plants dont give birth or lay eggs.

Most plants reproduce by making seeds.

Plants make seeds in their flowers.

But before a flower can make a seed it must get something from another plant like itself.

A tiny piece of powder called pollen must come from a different flower before a seed can happen.

This picture shows a grain of pollen much, much larger than it really is.

Sometimes pollen blows in the wind from one plant to another.

But some plants need help getting pollen from another plant into their flowers.

This is really important because plants only make fruits and vegetables if they are making seeds.

If the flowers dont get pollen, they cant make food. We might not have enough food to eat.

But dont worry, because there are busy little animals that carry pollen from flower to flower.

Plants that need help with pollination make a sweet substance deepin their flowers called nectar.

Bees fly all day from flower to flower collecting nectar. As they do, pollen gets on them.

When the bee goes to the next flower some pollen falls off, right where the plant needs it to be able to make seeds.

Be nice to bees. Without them we wouldnt have enough foodto eat.

Many farmers give bees a safe place to live so they will stay near the farm and helppollinate the farmers crops.

bee hive

Bees dont eat pollen but they bring the nectar back to the bee hive and turn it into honey.

Honey is another reason to be nice to bees.

Bees are the most important pollinators but some other animals also like nectar and help plants get pollen.

Some people are allergic to the pollen of certain plants.

When those plants are in bloom, people that are allergic to them may sneeze a lot. This is sometimes called hay fever.

Some people are afraid when they see a bee, but usually if you stay calm and dont try to swat them they wont bother you.

Bee keepers wear protective equipment when they handle bees so they dont get stung.

Some kinds of bees can be dangerous when they are in large groups. If you ever see a large swarm of bees do not go near them. Stay calm, walk away and tell a grown up.

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To learn more about pollen and bees, check out these cartoons on Brainpop.com

Brainpop junior: Parts of a Plant

Brainpop:PollinationHoneybees