She wanted us to draw bees for her to colour in.
Then, Percy muttered one of her first words.
‘Bee,’ she said.
We couldn’t believe it.
‘Good girl! That is a bee,’ we cried, almost in unison.
When she reached 23 months, we knew it was time our fearless daughter got a beekeeping suit.
It needed to be specially made it was that small!
‘Look what has arrived,’ I cooed as I began opening a large cardboard box.
A huge smile swept across her face. She looked so adorable.
‘I think you’re the world’s littlest beekeeper,’ I cried.
I felt so proud our passion had passed on to Percy.
She’d never been stung by a bee, but the suit would limit the chances.
The first time in her suit we thought she might be cautious, but she went up close and was even trying to put her head in the hive!
Now two, she helps us inspect the hives to make sure the bees are healthy.
She also checks how many eggs and how much honey they are producing.
We touch the bees to get them to move off the comb, and she loves gently moving them with her gloves on.
Best of all, she’s learning about the bees’ life cycle
and our planet. Without bees pollinating plants, many foods wouldn’t survive.
If we can teach kids from an early age to respect these precious creatures and that they’re not something to squish or kill, it will help change everyone’s perceptions.
Percy now has a sister, Dido, four months, and we hope Percy will show her the ropes when she’s old enough.
We want to create a buzz!
Charlotte Nisbet
