A SOCIAL INSECT— THE HONEYBEE 



231 



A rather peculiar habit of the honeybees makes this particularly effective ; 

 they visit only one species of flower as long as it continues to yield nectar 

 in copious quantities. They will have to visit many flowers in order to 

 obtain a full load of nectar, but even though there are several other kinds of 

 flowers in bloom in the vicinity, they remain faithful to a particular species. 

 The reproductive organs of flowers are arranged in such a way that the 

 bees will get the pollen on a certain part of their bodies while visiting 

 the first flower and then brush that part against the female organ of 

 another flower as they enter it. 



Photo by Cornelia Clarke 



Fig. 16.2. A worker with her pollen baskets full takes off from a flower to carry her 

 precious cargo back to the hive. The pollen adds the needed protein to the diet of 



the bees. 



The bee will visit flower after flower until she has filled her honey 

 stomach. Then she will fly up a few feet, circle once or twice as if 

 checking her direction, and then make a "beeline" for the hive. The 

 flight is so direct that the location of a wild colony of bees may be dis- 

 covered by watching some of them gathering nectar and then following 

 their direction of flight. 



The Dance of the Bees 



Upon arriving at the hive they perform a peculiar dance upon the 

 honeycombs. This dance of the bees has excited a great deal of interest 



