CH. n^l THE HIVE BEE 37 



CHAPTER II. 



THE HIVE BEE. 



Mode of Communication among Bees — Antipathy between rival Queens 

 — Tkeir Combats — Helplessness when mutilated — Senses of Bees-^ 

 Manner of discovering Bees' Nests practised by American Honeys 

 hunters. 



Like every other animal living in society, bees have 

 a medium of commmiication. The effects produced 

 upon them by the loss of their queen will furnish 

 proof of this fact. In a well-peopled and thriving 

 hive, each bee is employed in its appropriate avoca- 

 tion, some in attending the young-, some in making 

 cells. At first, when the queen has been abstracted, 

 every thing goes on well for about an hour ; after 

 this space of time, some few of the workers appear 

 in a state of great agitation ; they forsake the young, 

 relinquish their labour, and begin to traverse the hive 

 in a furious manner. In their progress, wherever 

 they meet a companion, they mutually cross their 

 antennae,* and the one which seems to have first 

 discovered the national loss, communicates the sad 

 news to its neighbour, by giving it a gentle tap with 

 these organs. This one in its turn becomes agitated, 

 runs over the cells, crossing and striking others. 

 Thus in a short time the whole hive is thrown into 

 confusion, every thing is neglected, and the hum- 

 ming may be heard at a distance. This agitation 

 lasts from four to five hours, after which the bees 

 are calmed, and begin to adopt the measures which 

 are necessary to repair their loss. 



That the agitation of the bees arises from the loss 

 of the queen scarcely admits of a doubt. 



" I cannot doubt," says Huber, " that the agitation 



• Feeleni. i 



I.~D 



