Bee pollen

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/bee-pollen

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Apis mellifera (for the European honeybee, the most common species)
2. What is bee pollen and why is it important for bees?Bee pollen is a mix of flower pollen, sugars, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that bees collect and store as "bee bread." It gives bees the energy and building blocks they need to grow, stay healthy, and help the queen and larvae.
3. How do bees collect and store bee pollen?Worker bees pick up pollen on special baskets on their hind legs, bring it back to the hive, and hand it to other bees who put it in cells. They add saliva with enzymes and bacteria, then cover it with honey to keep it fresh.

Corbiculae: Specialized 'pollen baskets' on the hind legs of worker bees used for transport.
Exine: The tough, outer layer of a pollen grain that bees process.
Ensilage: A process of preserving fodder by fermentation, similar to how bees preserve pollen.
Immunomodulatory: Having the ability to regulate or modify the immune system's response.