HOW HONEYBEES PRODUCE HONEYCOMB 



261 



PHOTOMICROGRAPH (ORIGINAL.) OF THE ABDOMINAL PLATES ON THE UNDERSIDE OF 



THE BEE THAT PRODUCE THE WAX SCALES. 



masticated and added to the comb. The 

 bee removes them while she stands on 

 the comb or on its support. One of the 

 hind legs is raised, and its flattened 

 portion, known as the planta, is pushed 

 along the underside of the extended 

 abdomen until it comes in contact with 

 a scale protruding on that side. Steady 

 pressure is now exerted against the ab- 

 domen and toward the rear. The re- 

 sult is that the scale is drawn out of its 

 pocket and remains attached to the 

 sharp, bristle-like hairs on the leg. 



Fig. 5. Side view of a woiker bee in the same 

 posture as that shown in figure 4. 



