Bees keep buzzing

By Jillian

After our Guest Dinner on Bees, with young beekeeper Elliott Hanley, in mid November, we have a
story to tell about one of the young people who attended.
Aum (10 y.o.) was given a school project on bees where he had to present his knowledge, learning
and understanding of bees in the form of bee hotel or interview.
He was happy to hear that TB was going to have a special evening on bees, and came prepared
with questions and phone in hand.
In and amongst our delightful TB patrons, Aum got an opportunity to ask Elliott all his bee
questions and the answers poured out, with great detail. Everyone there was gobsmacked by the
extent and range of Elliott’s knowledge and experience.
Luckily, Jillian, our expert note-taker, dedicatedly put down some very good points that are in a
separate document.
Elliott lives on the edge of Sydney, at Cherrybrook and runs his own bee business, called
Bellzzysbees. He told us that he was immediately captivated by bees at the age of 15 when he
saw a hive opened, showing the intricate structure inside.
At the Guest Dinner, Aum gathered the information he needed to eventually make a board game –
called Bee-opoly – with bee quizzes and fun facts* on the cards, and journey squares that included
going 2 spaces back if you answered the quiz incorrectly, or ‘do a waggle dance’!
…….he presented his project at school, including these question/fact …

*Did you know that bees don’t have a father but only a grandfather?
*When was the first European bee introduced to Australia? and How?