Ask Scarlett

Ranger Rick, July, 2000

Once there was a big ball of honey bees in a tree across the street. Someone had the city come destroy them. What if this happens again?

Joel McKinnon

Too bad the bees were destroyed! Honey bees are useful to have around. They make honey and also pollinate many kinds of flowers and crops.

The bees you saw were just a colony in search of a new home. The colony sticks together with its queen in a big group called a swarm. Swarming bees aren't especially in a stinging mood, so they don't usually cause any trouble for people.

If another swarm ever turns up unwelcome, a beekeeper can come and move it for you. Ask a librarian to help you find your local Cooperative Extension Service. The service should have a list of beekeepers in your area.

How do new watermelons grow from seedless ones?

Bethany Clarke, New Hampshire

They don't. Farmers must take extra steps to make it happen. Let's say a seedless watermelon is a little like a mule. You can't get a mule by breeding two mules because mules are sterile (STAIR-ul). That means they can't make their own babies. But you can get a mule by crossing a horse with a donkey.

Seedless watermelons are sterile too. But a grower can cross two special types of regular watermelon to get a new type. It's the seeds of this new type that can make the plants with seedless melons.

Do rabbits make any noise?

Kayla Newton, Massachusetts

Not much. Rabbit moms may make soft sounds when they're nursing their babies. And the babies sometimes squeak a little. But mostly, bunnies are a quiet bunch.

Rabbits usually sound an alarm by thumping their big hind feet on the ground. Other rabbits nearby feel the vibrations and know something's up. What if a rabbit is caught by a hungry hawk or other predator? Then it does make a sound--a loud squeal, in fact.

In your May issue, I read the story about caving. I was wondering about those cave formations, stalactites and stalagmites. How can I remember which is which?

Judy Chambers, Virginia

Just learn this little poem by J. Patrick Lewis:

Take a look at these cone-like formations,
And remember, wherever they're found,
A stalactite drips down from the ceiling;
A stalagmite grows up from the ground.

Why are baby animals so cute?

Jessica Francar, Wisconsin

To make mother animals want to take care of them!

Actually, "cute" means different things to different people. But it's true that most baby animals--baby mammals, anyway--look lovable to almost everybody.

A baby's soft, rounded shape, big eyes, small mouth, and wide forehead seem to make something click in our brains. They tell us the baby is a helpless creature that needs to be cuddled, fed, and protected. For anyone in charge of raising a baby animal--especially an animal mom-- that's got to be a good thing, right?