The Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee (KNM Foundation) is pleased to announce the publication of the second story in the Id-Djarju ta’ Katerina (Katerina’s Diary) series, featured in the February 2026 issue of Sagħtar magazine.
Entitled Katerina tmur Festin għad-Dakkara (Katerina Goes to the Pollinators’ Feast), the story continues the adventures of Katerina, the Maltese Honey Bee. Written by Abner Joe Buttigieg and Dylan Farrugia, co-founders and administrators of the Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee (VO/2403), the story builds upon the themes introduced in the educational song Festin Għad-Dakkara, part of the Katerina song trilogy released in 2025.
In this new diary entry, dated 10th February 2026, Katerina recounts her experience attending a very special wedding feast hosted by the Flowers. Alongside her fellow pollinators, including the butterfly, ladybird, beetle, fly and wasp — Katerina participates in a joyful celebration that symbolically represents the vital ecological process of pollination.
Through vivid storytelling and child-friendly imagery, the narrative explains how pollinators assist flowers by transferring pollen, enabling them to bear fruit. The wedding ceremony becomes a metaphor for pollination itself, described in the story as “dakra”, or in English, “pollination”. As the flowers shed their petals and transform into fruit, young readers are gently introduced to the scientific concept in an imaginative and memorable way.
The story also highlights the diversity of pollinators and the important role each plays in sustaining biodiversity and food production. It concludes with a thoughtful reflection encouraging cooperation and mutual support, a message inspired by the harmonious relationship between pollinators and flowers.
As with the first story in the series, the February publication will be complemented by an audio version to ensure accessibility for children of all abilities.
Readers can find Katerina tmur Festin għad-Dakkara in the February 2026 issue of Sagħtar magazine and continue following Katerina’s educational and inspiring adventures.
An excerpt from the story reads:
“Dear Diary,
Bzzz! Bzzz! It’s me again, Katerina, the Maltese Honey Bee! Today was very special — I attended a wedding feast hosted by the Flowers! Alongside my friends, the butterflies, beetles, and other pollinators, we helped the flowers spread their pollen. What a joyful celebration! I danced, laughed, and even collected some nectar as a thank-you gift. By the end of the day, the flowers had transformed into delicious fruit, all thanks to our teamwork. Oh, how wonderful it is when everyone helps each other, just like we bees do with the flowers!”
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