530 Saw-flies, Gall-flies, Ichneumons, 



many larvae are being reared, and the supply of water derived by con- 

 densation of the moisture in the warm hive atmosphere as this air strikes 

 the cooler hive-walls is insufficient, the workers drink up dew from leaves, 

 or water from puddles, which they hold in the honey-sac and bring to the 

 hive, regurgitating it into the thirsty larval mouths. For the filling in of 

 crevices, the stopping up of holes, the fastening together of loose parts, etc., 

 the bees use a substance called propolis, which is simply the resinous exuda- 

 tions of various plants. This propolis is collected and packed into the pol- 

 len-baskets as pollen is and brought in by the foragers. Some of my bees, 

 needing propolis, discovered a house just in course of painting, and made 

 a gallant though hopeless struggle to bring in all the fresh paint as fast as 

 it was put on by the painters! This house must have seemed a remarkable 

 sort of propolis-producing plant! Propolis is not packed in cells, but is 

 used as soon as brought in, the trowel-mandibles being the instruments used 

 in putting and moulding it in the needed place. 



Of the indoors work there is much besides those industries already referred 

 to, namely, wax-making, comb-building, honey-making, crevice-chinking. 

 Because the queen and nurses (bees less than two weeks old) do not leave 

 the hive their excreta are voided within doors; there are also bits of old, dirty 

 wax, occasional dead bees, and various other waste substances constantly 

 accumulating in the hive. Or, rather, this detritus would accumulate if 

 the workers were not always keenly careful to carry out all such stuff; the 

 hive is constantly being cleaned, and is on any day in the week a model of 

 good housekeeping. 



Besides keeping the hive clean the workers must keep it ventilated, that 

 is, clean of atmosphere as well as clean of floor and wall. This is done by 

 setting up air-currents through the hive which carry out constantly the viti- 

 ated air and thus compel fresh air to enter. Always near the exit and scat- 

 tered through the hive, especially along its floor, may be seen bees standing 

 with head down and body diagonally up and wings steadily vibrating with 

 great rapidity. These are the ventilating agents, and they have an exhaust- 

 ing and tedious work. 



About the entrance may be also always seen bees which seem neither to be 

 leaving the hive nor entering it, but which move about constantly and meet and 

 touch antennae with all incomers. These are the warders of the gate. There 

 are never wanting enemies of the industrious, well-stocked honey-bee com- 

 munity, whose entrance into the hive must be vigorously guarded against. 

 Yellow-jackets hover tentatively around the opening; they are arrant rob- 

 bers and are ready to take any chance to get at the full honey-cells. But 

 more dangerous because of the habit of attacking en masse are honey-bees 

 of other hives. Not infrequently a desperate foray by hundreds of other 

 bees will be made into a hive, especially a weak one, and a pitched battle 



