Teacher's Leaflet. S55 



the bees coming and going will not come in collision with the pupils. The 

 door of the hive should be kept shut all of the time, except when the 

 pupils are making their observations, as the bees do not like the interior 

 of the hive lighted. 



The A. I. Root Company of Medina, Ohio, sell a very pretty observa- 

 tion hive, which they will ship filled with Italian bees and queen. This 

 hive comes in several sizes and ranges in price from $1.25 to $4.00 when 

 stocked with bees. 



If the teacher has no money for buying the regular observation hive, 

 she can construct the hive, as described above, and ask an apiarist in 

 the neighborhood to donate a brood frame filled with comb nearly covered 

 with bees and with queen cell if possible. This should be started in April 

 as soon as the red maple is in blossom. 



Lesson XLV. 



things to be observed in the observation hive. 



Method. — Ask the following questions as occasion requires and let 

 the pupils answer them after they have made the observations for them- 

 selves. 



( I ) . Describe how the bee works when it is building comb. 



(2). How does the bee store honey in the cell? 



(3). How does she get the pollen in the cell and pack it into bee bread .'' 



(4). Describe the feeding of the young. Describe how the "ladies 

 in waiting " feed and care for the queen. 



(5). Try and discover the queen when she is laying eggs and describe 

 the process. 



(6). How do the bees keep the house clean? 



(7). How do they stop crevices of the hive? 



(8). If you keep the door open too long how will they curtain their 

 window ? 



(9). Describe how the bees fan with their wings to set up a draught 

 in the hive. 



(10). If there are any drones in the hive describe how they are fed. 



Facts for Teachers. — It is very interesting to watch the bees build their comb. 

 When more comb is needed certain members of the colony gorge themselves with 

 honey and remain suspended while it oozes out of the wax pockets on the lower 

 side of the abdomen. This wax is collected and chewed to make it less brittle and 

 then is carried to the place where the comb is being built and is molded into shape 

 by the jaws of the workers. However, it is not always the same bee that puts the 

 wax in place that molds it into comb. A bee comes into the hive with her honey 



