Karen McKay, age 10, of Merrillville, Ind., for her question:

HOW IS HONEY MADE?

Every worker bee has a special pouch inside his body called a honey bag. In the pouch he puts the thin, watery fluid he sips from blossoms. The nectar is broken down by a process called inversion into two simple sugars called levulose and dextrose. After the honeybee deposits the nectar in the hive, most of the water is allowed to evaporate and the liquid becomes thick and turns to honey. The bee also adds enzymes that enhance the flavor.

Honey’s color and flavor are influenced by the kinds of flowers from which the nectar was gathered. The color can range from white to dark amber.

Honey is loaded with mineral salts and other materials needed by the body. It is the only form of sugar food that doesn’t need to be refined.