The Secret Under the Tree Bark

In an old forest, on the trunk of a mighty oak tree, lived a little bug named Tikhon. He was no ordinary bug but a true expert on the life under tree bark. His little home was always warm and cozy, as the thick bark protected him and his friends from the cold and wind. Every day, Tikhon studied the world under the bark and knew all its secrets.

One day, some curious young forest creatures came to visit him—a small ant, a tiny caterpillar, and a bee. They wanted to know what was hidden under the tree bark. Tikhon smiled warmly and invited them to look under the bark together. “Here, under the bark, entire worlds are hidden, where different insects live and where life never stops,” he explained, gently lifting a small piece of bark.

First, Tikhon showed them little tunnels that ran along the bark. “These tunnels were made by bark beetles,” he said. “They eat the wood and create pathways to move around and hide from predators. For them, these tunnels are like streets in a big city.” The ant looked at the tunnels in amazement, imagining how the bark beetles worked under the bark, carving out their paths.

Then, Tikhon led them to a small, damp hollow where tiny larvae lived. “These larvae will one day become adult bugs and will be able to live on the surface of the tree,” Tikhon explained. “For now, it’s safer and warmer for them under the bark.” The caterpillar watched the little creatures with curiosity, realizing that even tiny beings could grow up and become part of the forest world.

The bee also found something interesting: in one of the hollows, she discovered a tiny stash of pollen left by wild bees. “Here, they hide their food in case of cold days,” Tikhon said, explaining that even under the bark, there was room for small bee supplies. The bee was amazed to learn that her forest siblings stored their food in such secret places.

In the evening, when the young creatures returned home, they thought for a long time about how much life was hidden under an ordinary piece of tree bark. They realized that even in places where no light reached, life was bustling. From then on, the ant, the caterpillar, and the bee often returned to the old oak to learn from Tikhon and discover more secrets of nature. For them, the world under the bark had become a true treasure, full of discoveries and amazing creatures.