Part of the Hive (Encore)

0:00Get Sleepy is a production of Samba Studios. To listen to our three, access our entire catalogue of episodes and support the show directly. Check out our premium feed by going to GetSleepy.com slash support. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. Fall is the perfect time to refresh and reorganize your space. At the Home Depot, find power tools and tool sets starting at $50 to help tackle DIY projects, home updates and more. Whether you're drilling brackets to support new shelving or sharpening your head trimmer blade with an angle grinder. The Home Depot has the tools you need to check projects off your list. Shop Labor Day savings at the Home Depot and gear up for fall projects with the right tools to keep your projects moving. Colass it up with Crocs. You know back to school is coming in fast. So why wait to find your new faith footwear?

1:00Step into a local Crocs store and step into your new look. Try it. Style it. Make it yours. Because the right pair doesn't just show up. It shows off. First day fits. Handle. Walk out ready for whatever's next. Visit your nearest Crocs store today. Welcome to Get Sleepy. When we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm your host Thomas. Thanks for joining me. This is now our 10th weekly encore episode. I really hope you're enjoying hearing these classic Get Sleepy stories. Whether that's for the very first time or perhaps one of numerous times. For those who've been with us here for a number of years. This one is called Part of the Hive.

2:02And it first came out in the summer of 2020. It was written by Angelica and read by me. Shortly we'll see the life of a worker bee named Bella. And her adventures in the Beehive she calls home. So, as always, let's get comfortable before we begin. If you're not in bed already, go ahead and climb under the covers. Enjoy that feeling of being enveloped by something cozy and safe. Take a few deep breaths at your own pace.

3:02Each one guiding you a little bit closer to sleep. Thoughts from the day may still be buzzing around in your mind. And that's perfectly normal. But now that you've chosen to go to bed, you can gently tune those thoughts out. By resting your attention on my voice. And this charming tale about Bella. This is where our story begins. A subtle bus filled the air,

4:13eliminated from the hollow of a willow tree, or a sprawling green meadow met an old forest. The willow's drooping arms gave the impression that nature was tired. But that was just an illusion. The picturesque meadow was bustling with life. Fairy friends played in golden rays of sun, passing time leisurely as they searched for a snack. Blossoms of all shapes, sizes and colours dotted the patchwork of grass. There were white ones with yellow centres, bright red ones, long purple ones, and many more. As if a giant had painted the field with a rainbow paintbrush. And they all swayed in harmony with the wind.

5:16But Bella didn't know any of this because she had never left the hive. That hollow spot in the willow tree is the place she called home. And what a home it was. From the outside, the hive looked like a bundle of pale, drying leaves that had been stuffed into a tree trunk. Only the most diligent eye would be able to spot the slightly different shade of brown. The hive itself was made of hard yellow wax. An earlier generation of bees had made a huge amount of beeswax in a very short time with nectar and honey. Their bodies processed the food into fresh beeswax, which formed into small white scales at the base of their tails.

6:16These bee ancestors then chewed, shaped and sculpted the beeswax into the thousands of tiny hexagonal cavities that make up the interior of the hive. For that generation, it was their gift to the hive. A work of art, really. Worthy of both practical and creative admiration. Bella appreciated the home they'd built. Every generation in hive history has left its mark, a benefit for the ones to follow. And Bella knew that she would do the same. So far, Bella had spent her whole life buzzing around inside the hive. A little round body was covered in fuzzy black and yellow stripes, with six legs and two wiery antennae.

7:18As she fluttered from one part of the hive to another, going about her daily tasks, Bella's translucent wings moved so quickly that they appeared to blend. In such a thriving colony, order was critical. Every bee in the hive, from the queen all the way down to the youngest worker, had their role. The workers made honey and took care of the larvae. The queen and the drones reproduced to ensure the hive's future. Together, the bees constructed a supportive society, in which the greater good was more important than the individual desires of any one bee. Bella's daily responsibilities included sealing honey and feeding the drones. Once the honey was made, it also needed to be sealed for preservation and storage.

8:24Bella walked down row after row of honeycomb cavities. Each geometric cup was filled to the brim with shining golden sweetness. With a sip from her long straw-like tongue, Bella tested the honey to make sure it was just right. It was perfectly sweetened, a flawless batch. To the untrained, all honey tasted pretty much the same. But in her time as a honey sealer, Bella had become somewhat of a connoisseur. Based on the honey's floral undertones, she could tell that it was made of nectar from fragrant wildflowers, like poppy and primrose. She'd never seen these flowers with her own eyes, but the forage bees told her that they were beautiful.

9:28As she continued down the row, Bella paused as she sampled from one of the honeycomb. Something wasn't right. She tasted it again. A bit too watery, she thought. The honey needed to be dehydrated. Bella turned around and began to flap her wings. She found back and forth, blowing air across the surface of the honey. The speed of her wings made it quick work. Then she tasted the honey once more. Delightful, she thought. While she'd been drying out the honey, another worker bee was piling lumps of beeswax next to her. Bella loved the bright yellow beeswax. It was smooth and silky, but would break into crumbles with a squeeze. To make the wax a sealant, it had to be warmed up.

10:33Bella bit into a crumble and felt it melt in her mouth. Then she hovered over the cavities of honey, one by one, pouring a thin layer of liquid wax over the top. After a bit of fanning with her wings, the wax hardened and sealed the honey. This process was crucial for the hive. In the cold winter months, when flowers were gone, the hive would rely on these reserves for sustenance. Winter was nearing, so the bees needed to preserve as much honey as possible. Even though it could get a little repetitive, Bella enjoyed this work because it meant she would have a full belly and so would the hive. Bella's other main task was feeding the drones, but there were hundreds of drones in this hive, so delivering enough honey to them was no small task.

11:39No matter how busy she was, Bella always enjoyed her work. She liked the feeling of helping out and doing her part. Plus, there was something so relaxing about the hum of the hive. It drowned out any thoughts or worries she might have over the course of the day. After Bella finished feeding the last drone, she socialized with some of the other bees. One of them, Breyer, was an old forager bee. Her job was to leave the hive and collect nectar from the plants outside. Bella could tell that Breyer was a forager based on her scent. She smelled like sweet pollen and fresh air. Breyer had slightly frayed wings that showed the wear and tear of many days spent outside the hive.

12:39The straps on her body had begun to dull, losing some of their color. Even though Breyer looked somewhat ragged, Bella envied her, for she radiated a wisdom that could only come from leaving the safety of the hive. Bella sniffed around. She noticed a certain energy in the air today, as if something new and exciting was going to happen. She wondered if the other bees could feel it too. It seemed that they could, because everyone began to gather around Breyer. Bella watched in awe as Breyer began one of her famous tremble dances. She had witnessed tremble dance ceremonies many times. They took place whenever a bee was to change jobs. And though Bella dared to dream of the day when she'd get promoted, she never dreamt that today would be the day.

13:45But it was. Breyer circled in front of her audience, vibrating back and forth. The buzz of a thousand wings and the singing winds outside played an accompaniment. Breyer's body trembled. The rhythm and direction of her movements bore a message. Breyer was recruiting worker bees to become receiver bees. Those who receive nectar from the forages and turn it into honey. And tandem with others, Bella trembled her little body expertly in response, as she'd done dozens of times before. Breyer completed her dance, stopping right in front of Bella. When their eyes met, Bella could hardly contain her excitement. She found her wings opened and closed, in acceptance of her new role.

14:52The job started right away. When forager bees returned to the hive, carrying raw nectar. They passed it to Bella and the other receivers, who digested the nectar, transforming it into honey. Then the receivers mixed the nectar by passing it from one to the other. With each new mixture, it condensed further into a thick, sweet syrup. Once the mixture was perfected, the honey had to be dried. To do this, Bella blew honey bubbles. She'd take a deep breath in and slowly exhale, inflating the honey like a balloon. In bubble form, water could evaporate from the honey much faster. Bella had never made honey bubbles before, and she greatly enjoyed this part of her new job.

15:59The deep breaths were relaxing, and she had fun with the other receivers, seeing who could blow the biggest one. The honey glistened, shining in a golden hue, like beads of amber. The bees were professional chefs when it came to honey, continuously checking for consistency and sweetness. Once they had the batch made exactly right, they could move on to the next step, filling the honey combs. After which, worker bees would come by to check and seal the honey, just as Bella once did. And the whole cycle continued. Day after day, the hive collected more nectar, turned it to honey, fed themselves, and stored the rest for winter. With everyone's help, they made quick progress.

17:05A few weeks passed, during which Bella produced a large amount of honey. She quickly became one of the best receiver bees in the hive, and before she knew it, the time came to graduate once more. As the seasons changed, it became necessary for the number of forages in the hive to increase. The hive needed to prioritize, gathering the last bits of nectar, before the field of blooming flowers departed for the winter. Bella was next in line to become a forager. This promotion didn't come with a dancing ceremony, like the last one. It was based more on pure instinct. On her last day as a receiver, she watched the younger bees who were now tasked with sealing the honey. She looked at them nostalgicly, remembering her days as a worker bee.

18:10Bella was eager to leave the hive and get out into the wild. However, she was also wary of leaving the comfort of her home. She'd never flown long distances before, but she knew a whole new world laid just beyond the bark of the willow tree. Coincidentally, Briar, the forager who had recruited Bella into receiving, was the same bee who took Bella through her flight orientation. It was a bright, full morning when Bella met Briar at the edge of the hive. Bella clung to the willow tree. This was her first time outside and there was a lot to take in. Pure sunlight fell onto her eyes. It was warm and inviting, though it took a minute to get used to.

19:14She squinted, peering out over the meadow. She couldn't believe the endless beauty that spread out before her. It seemed to go on forever. Long, wispy grass grew in every direction, waving harmoniously with the wind. Often the distance, the forest rustled peacefully. The bark of the willow tree where she stood felt much different than inside the hive. It was hard and rough, unlike the sticky honeycombs. Bella had always known that their hive was situated inside a willow tree, but before those were just words. Now she understood what they really meant. It stood for the long winding branches that dangled toward the ground.

20:18It meant this looming ancient plant was home to so many creatures, not just the hive. Beyond the hanging branches, Bella saw other kinds of trees too. She also saw flowers, shrubs, vines, too many plants to name. She saw babbling creeks weaving their way through the ups and downs of the meadow. The world outside the hive was beyond Bella's wildest imagination. A gentle buzz approached as Briar landed next to Bella. There would be no foraging today. First she had to go on some practice flights with Briar. It was basically a play day, Briar said with a wink. Briar led by example.

21:19She let go of the hive, and when it looked like she was going to fall to the ground, she sawed off through the willow's arms. She wound around one branch and flew back towards Bella, hovering in the air, emotioning in encouragement. Bella took a deep breath and looked down. She already knew how to fly from buzzing around inside the hive, but that was familiar territory. This was a whole new world and a big one at that. She just needed to go for it. With a deep inhale, Bella let go of the hive. She felt the full weight of her body for only a second before her wings kicked in, buzzing on their own accord.

22:21She looked up to find Briar hovering in front of her. Briar winked and flitted away through the willow branches. Bella followed her. The automare was cool against her wings. She was grateful for the fur that covered her body like a cozy jacket. Briar showed her all around the meadow first, going in a loop around the field of green. Bella felt how gentle breezes would carry her one way or another. She buzzed up and down and around in circles, enjoying this newfound sense of freedom. Bella tuned in to all the new sites. In the hive, everything was marked with the pheromones of the queen bee, giving a distinctive sweet and musky scent.

23:21Out here though, Bella couldn't smell the queen bee. For once, she didn't have to worry about what was going on in the hive and could just explore the world. After a quick tour, they flew from plant to plant so Briar could show Bella the best nectar in the lot. Bella smelled lilacs, marigolds and snap dragons that grew among the grasses. They gave off a crisp fresh aroma. Bella also saw new creatures. There were birds with big wings and bright orange beaks. And when they opened their mouths, Bella finally put her face to the song she'd heard from the outside her whole life. Some of the new creatures were as small as Bella.

24:22Some were even smaller, like the tiny black ants that marched along the grass. Bella's eyes were wired with wonder. The meadow was even bigger than she'd imagined it would be. She and Briar flew until they felt a pang in their stomachs, hunger. Briar led to a secret spot, a spattering of flowers right next to a crisp, clear stream. Bella sniffed at a gangly orange plant. Then she flustered over to another with the purple and indigo flowers. This one looked tasty. Bella unrolled her tongue and took her first taste of refreshing, delicious nectar. She sampled flower after flower.

25:25Each one had its own distinct taste. With a full belly, Bella and Briar rested for a while. Perched on an old oak tree, looking out over the meadow. Briar told stories from her adventures outside of the hive. Before long, Bella would have her own to tell. Briar had already done so much for the hive. Things that Bella and future generations would benefit from. Bella appreciated this. She was grateful that she now had the opportunity to do the same. It meant so much to her to be a part of the hive. The colors in the sky began to change, meaning the quiet of night would soon fall over the meadow.

26:32The two bees sat and watched the sunset for a few moments. Of all the things you can see out here, there's nothing like this. Carla erupted across the sky and Bella could barely believe her eyes. But it didn't last long and soon the final rays of sunlight were saying goodnight to the world. Just as the crickets began their evening chorus, the two bees buzzed off into the fading sunset and made their way back to the cozy hollow in the willow tree that they called home.

30:38The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world.

31:39The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world.

32:39The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world.

33:39The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world.

34:39The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world. The bees were saying goodnight to the world.