. An introduction to zoology, with directions for practical work (invertebrates). 370 INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY chap. any cracks in the walls, usirg for this purpose the glue-like substance called "propolis," which they collect from the sticky buds of such trees as the poplar, carrying it home in the pollen-basket after it has been worked up into a little ball. They leave usually one opening as the entrance to the hive. Then these workers join others who have already commenced the formation of the cells in which the honey is to be stored, and in which the new young bees are to be reare
. An introduction to zoology, with directions for practical work (invertebrates). 370 INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY chap. any cracks in the walls, usirg for this purpose the glue-like substance called "propolis," which they collect from the sticky buds of such trees as the poplar, carrying it home in the pollen-basket after it has been worked up into a little ball. They leave usually one opening as the entrance to the hive. Then these workers join others who have already commenced the formation of the cells in which the honey is to be stored, and in which the new young bees are to be reared. The wax of which these cells are to be formed Secr^ion ''^ secreted chiefly by the younger workers, and appears in the form of little scales which gradu- ally protrude from below the segments on the under side of the abdomen; four pairs of these wax scales are formed (Fig. 295). This secretion of wax, however, is only possible when the insects have been well fed, and we find that before swarming they generally feed freely from „, _ , the honey stored in the hive, and that as soon as they have secreted one set of wax plates, Fio. 296.—The under side of a they go off to the flowers and Worker Bee carrying wax j j • rrw. n j. \. • ii scales. (x2.) feed again. 1 he first bee in the new hive that is about to secrete wax, climbs to the roof of the hive, and suspends herself there by her front legs, whilst the second clings to the back legs of the first, and the third to the second. Others form similar festoons until a dense curtain of bees is hanging from the roof, their close association causing a considerable rise of temperature in the mass. They hang thus, quite motionless and silent, for twenty- four to forty-eight hours, and then the scales of wax appear. Each bee, as her secretion is completed, detaches herself from the cluster, and climbs to the highest point of the hive, and there fixing herself with her front claws, she nips off the wax scales one after the other,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1913
