MANIPULATION OF WAX SCALES OF THE HONEY BEE. 



backward and forward or from side to side as it adapts its position to 

 the work in hand. Suddenly its body becomes very quiet. The fore- 

 legs and mandibles are raised from the comb, and the head is held 

 with the face inclined tow- 

 ard the comb. The hind 

 leg of one side is now 

 raised, and its flattened 

 first tarsal segment or 

 planta is slipped along the 

 ventral surface of the ex- 

 tended abdomen and comes 

 in contact with the pro- 

 truding wax scales of the 

 corresponding side (figs. 

 3 and 4). The weight of 

 the bee is now supported 

 upon three legs; upon the 

 middle leg of the side 

 from which the scale is to 

 be removed and upon the 

 middle and hind legs of 

 the other side. The first 

 tarsal segment of the leg 

 which is to remove the 

 scale is now pressed firmly 

 against the abdomen, and the edge of a protruding scale becomes 

 engaged with it. Steady, continuous pressure is now exerted both 

 against the abdomen and toward the rear, with the result that the 



scale is drawn out of its 

 pocket but remain:j at- 

 tached to the leg which 

 removed it. The hind 

 leg bearing the scale is 

 noAv quickly flexed tow- 

 ard the thorax and 

 head, thus carrying the 

 scale forward under' the 

 body of the bee and 

 placing it in a position 

 where it may be readily 

 grasped by the forelegs 

 or the mandibles (figs. 5 and 6). Sometimes the scale is appar- 

 ently removed from the hind leg by the mandibles alone, but usually 

 the forelegs aid in this process and also manipulate the scale while 



Fig. 5. — Ventral view of a worker bee showing the 

 position of the wax scale just before it is grasped 

 by the forelegs and mandibles. The scale is still 

 adhering to the spines of the pollen combs. The 

 bee is supported upon the two middle legs and 

 upon the hind leg which is not removing the scale. 

 (Original.) 



Fig. 6. — Side view of a worker beo in the same posture 

 as that shown in figure .">. (Original.) 



