Katerina the Honey Bee: An English Song to Celebrate Malta’s Native Bee

The song Katerina the Honey Bee (Bizz Bizz Bizz) is the English version of the much-loved Maltese song In-Naħla Katerina and is currently in production. This new adaptation continues the mission of promoting environmental awareness and early language learning through music, while making the message accessible to an even wider audience.

This English production is being generously sponsored by the HSBC Malta Foundation.

Written and composed by Michael Piscopo, and performed by Phyllisienne Brincat, the song brings the charming character of Katerina to life for young listeners. Professor Suzanne Piscopo played a key role in ensuring the content is pedagogically sound, engaging, and age-appropriate. Just like the Maltese version, it introduces children to the Maltese Honey Bee in an engaging, joyful, and educational way.

A Celebration of the Maltese Honey Bee

The Maltese Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ruttneri), an endemic species of Malta, plays a crucial role in pollination and the preservation of biodiversity. Katerina the Honey Bee highlights the importance of this small but vital insect, helping children understand how bees contribute to nature and food production.

Through simple, rhythmic lyrics and a memorable melody, the song follows Katerina as she flies from flower to flower, gathers nectar, and returns to the hive at sunset. It introduces children to key concepts such as teamwork, environmental responsibility, and the bee’s role within the hive community.

Learning Through Song

Like its Maltese counterpart, the English version supports early childhood development, particularly for children aged 0 to 6 years. Singing is widely recognised as an effective tool for improving memory, pronunciation, and vocabulary acquisition.

The repetitive and playful “Bizz Bizz Bizz” refrain encourages participation and helps young learners develop phonemic awareness, an essential building block for early literacy. The song’s structure makes it ideal for use in kindergartens, early primary classrooms, and at home.

Sounds, Rhythm, and Movement

One of the most engaging elements of the song is its interactive quality. The “Bizz Bizz Bizz” sections naturally lend themselves to movement-based learning. Children can flap their arms like wings, move in a circle to represent bees returning to the hive, or follow one another in a playful sequence — reinforcing both coordination and group participation.

Lines such as:

“They dance around the beehive
So other bees will know…”

offer teachers and parents opportunities to create simple actions that bring the educational message to life.

An Educational and Entertaining Resource

With its blend of music, movement, storytelling, and environmental awareness, Katerina the Honey Bee (Bizz Bizz Bizz) is more than just a song, it is an engaging educational tool. It can be integrated into lessons about nature, insects, and sustainability, while also supporting language development in a fun and accessible way.

This English version ensures that Katerina’s message reaches even more children, reminding us all of the importance of protecting Malta’s native bee and working together to keep her buzzing, today and for generations to come.

This project is coordinated by the founders, Dylan Farrugia and Abner Joe Buttigieg.

KATERINA THE HONEY BEE (BIZZ BIZZ BIZZ)

There is a pretty creature
Who loves the open air
Her name is Katerina
You can see her everywhere
She is the Maltese Honey Bee
And likes to fly around
On all her favourite flowers
And makes a lovely sound
Lovely sound

Bizz Bizz Bizz
The bees are buzzing
Around the garden
Happily flying
Bizz Bizz Bizz
Now and tomorrow
And those who follow
Will do the same

Bizz Bizz Bizz
The bees are buzzing
Over the flowers
Happily flying
Bizz Bizz Bizz
Now and tomorrow
And those who follow
Will do the same

The lovely Katerina
The Maltese Honey Bee
Together with her sisters
Form a happy family
They visit every flower
Collecting all they need
To make their yummy honey
That’s very good indeed
Good indeed

Bizz Bizz Bizz
The bees are buzzing
Around the garden
Happily flying
Bizz Bizz Bizz
Now and tomorrow
And those who follow
Will do the same

Bizz Bizz Bizz
The bees are buzzing
Over the flowers
Happily flying
Bizz Bizz Bizz
Now and tomorrow
And those who follow
Will do the same

And when the day is over
And there is no more sun
The bees return to meet their Queen
And tell her all they’ve done
They dance around the beehive
So other bees will know
Which are the nicest flowers
And where they need to go
To and fro

Instrumental (with sound of bees)

The lovely Katerina
Will be our friend forever
If we all work together
To keep her always buzzing, you and me
You and me

Bizz Bizz Bizz
The bees are buzzing
Around the garden
Happily flying
Bizz Bizz Bizz
Now and tomorrow
And those who follow
Will do the same

Bizz Bizz Bizz
The bees are buzzing
Over the flowers
Happily flying
Bizz Bizz Bizz
Now and tomorrow
And those who follow
Will do the same

And those who follow
Will do the same
And those who follow
Will do the same (sound of bees)

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