Insect Misconceptions and Misinformation   Misconception/Misinformaiton #6: Insect by-products are made especially for us. Examples containing misinformaiton: "Here's BUSY-BEE. Without him the plants, fruit trees, and flowers couldn't make seeds, and there wouldn't be any more of them. He won't sting you if you leave him alone. He makes honey for you to eat." Please Don't Step On Me by Elly-Kree George. Cherokee, N.C.: Cherokee Publications 1988. p. 3 ISBN 0-935741-07-0 "CRISSY CRICKET calls out 'CREE-CREE' and 'RETREAT-RETREAT' on a summer night. She likes to make pretty music for you." From : Please Don't Step On Me by Elly-Kree George. Cherokee, N.C.: Cherokee Publications. 1988. p.20 Explanation: You may find this distinction trivial, but understanding the role that insects play in our everyday lives is an important lesson. We use the products that insects, plants, and animals create during their everyday life processes. Can you think of other examples? What about velvet from deer and elk antlers? Eggs from chickens? Milk from cows? We certainly don't believe that if there weren't people to collect the milk that cows wouldn't produce it at all, do we? Thus, it is important to understand the reason why the insects, in this case honey bees, produce the products in the first place.   Here are some examples of products we use from various animals, and their original uses: Honey bees produce wax to make the cells of their hive. Inside these cells, they lay eggs(1 egg/cell) and raise the offspring by feeding them honey and pollen. They store both honey and pollen each in seperate cells which they then cap for future use. Those two "stores" become their carbohydrate (honey) and protein (pollen) during the winter months and/or periods when nectar and pollen are scarce. Ask your students to brainstorm other products that we obtain from animals. Then, they can research how and why each organism produces them. Back to Misconceptions