Buzzing bees calm some people.

Frank Bartel was a soldier in the Vietnam War. He is in the Heroes to Hives program. Here, he looks at a hive of bees in Superior Township, Michigan. (AP)
Military veteran Adam Ingrao is a bee expert. He runs the Heroes to Hives program. Here, he prepares a smoker to calm bees so that workers can open the hive. (AP)
A queen bee (marked in green) and worker bees move around a hive in Manchester, New Hampshire. (AP)
Instructor Karen Eaton, left, opens a bee box and leads veterans in beekeeping work. (AP)
U.S. Army veteran Wendi Zimmermann moves a frame of bees to a new box while checking them for disease and food supply. (AP)

THIS JUST IN

You have {{ remainingArticles }} free {{ counterWords }} remaining.

The bad news: You've hit your limit of free articles.
The good news: You can receive full access below.
God's Big WORLD | Ages 3-6 | $35.88 per year

Already a member? Sign in.

Buzz! Buzz! Do bees scare you?

Many Army veterans like to work with bees. They want to forget sad things. That is why bee-keepers teach them all about bees.

Bees carry pollen to plants. Farmers need bees. Bees help worried soldiers. They need bees too.

READ MORE: Programs that help veterans learn beekeeping are popping up all over the United States. The VA Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, helps 12 veterans learn beekeeping. Heroes to Hives is at Michigan State University. Bees4Vets is in Reno, Nevada. And vets keep 18 hives on the grounds of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota! Proverbs 24:13 teaches us, “My son, eat honey, for it is good.”

Lesson #5: Nectar and Pollen. Winter is settling in and your attention probably is more on scraping ice and shoveling snow than on gardens! However, as you read our story about veterans and honeybees, you might take time to get your kids to plan a garden that will attract these marvelous workers. Non-hybridized plants native to your area will thrive with very little attention from you and supply the nectar and pollen the bees need. Blue, purple, violet, yellow, and white flowers attract bees. Bees are different sizes, have different tongue lengths, and feed on different flowers. Plant flowers that are different sizes and heights. And plant in sunny spots, but with shelter from strong winds.