234 THERISEOFANIMALLIFE 



water. When this is complete the resultant sometimes reared in the same cells, and the 



honey is covered and sealed by a thin layer old cocoon cases can be found in them ly- 



of wax. Evaporation is hastened by "air ing one on the other. 



conditioning," which is brought about by The respiratory, excretory, and nervous 

 certain workers detailed to keep the air in systems are much the same as those already 

 constant motion by beating their wings, studied for the grasshopper. Reproduction 

 After a particularly busy day, v^^hen large in the bee is somewhat different, however, 

 amounts of nectar have been brought in, and a discussion of this system is necessary, 

 the hives can be heard "singing," due to the The male or drone bees possess two kidney- 

 intense activity of the ventilator bees. This shaped testes, from which a pair of vasa 

 also provides a constant flow of fresh air deferentia conduct sperms to the large sem- 

 through the colony, which probably con- inal vesicles. The vesicles, as well as a pair 

 tributes to the general health of the colony. of large accessory glands, enter a single 

 As previously mentioned, this same lively ejaculatory duct, all of which then connect 

 beating of wings is also used as a means with the large, complicated copulatory or- 

 for raising and maintaining the temperature gan, the penis. The major part of the ab- 

 above freezing during the winter. In this dominal cavity of the queen is filled with a 

 case die activity contributes heat from the pair of large ovaries, which resemble those 

 burning of sugar in the bodies of the bees of the grasshopper. Oviducts connect with 

 themselves. a single vagina. A dorsal evagination of the 



While the nectar supplies carbohydrates vaginal wall results in a sac called the 



for the bee's diet, nitrogen is provided in spermatheca, the storage place for sperms 



the form of pollen. The method of collect- received from the male during copulation, 

 ing and transporting pollen to the colony Soon after the advent of spring the queen 



has already been described. The pollen, or lays many eggs. This brings about such a 



"bee bread," is packed in cells for future great increase in the number of bees that 



use in feeding the larvae as well as the adult the hive is soon overcrowded and a change 



bees during the winter. Bees also collect in arrangement becomes necessary. The 



"bee glue," or propolis, which is pitch found workers build new queen cells and a new 



around the base of buds. It is used as a queen is produced, who promptly proceeds 



varnish for mending and stopping up cracks to drive the old queen out. The latter gath- 



in the hive to make the hive as tight against ers a substantial portion of the workers and 



the elements as possible. "swarms" to a new home. Such a large mass 



The wax glands, located on the ventral of bees may be observed clinging to a tree 



side of the abdomen, secrete the material branch, where they rest until scouts find 



for building the wax cells of the comb. Cells a new home. The queen who is left behind 



of various sizes are constructed for specific kills any other queen larvae that may be 



purposes. The smallest are the worker cells, developing and flies out on her "nuptial 



which are used to rear the workers and also flight." At this time she copulates with one 



to store pollen. The drone cells are some- of the drones and receives sufficient sperm 



what larger than the worker cells and are in her spermatheca to last the rest of her 



used not only to rear the drones but may life, which may be as long as 15 years. A 



also be used for the storage of honey. Usu- small "sperm pump" makes it possible for 



ally, however, the honey cells slope upward her to fertilize or withhold sperm from 



to prevent the honey from being lost by eggs. Since she allows only three or four 



running out. The largest and most elaborate sperms to be deposited on the micropyle 



cells are those provided for the rearing of (small opening at one end of the egg) of 



the queen. Various generations of bees are an egg as it passes out of the oviduct, she 



