nm GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 231 



THE BROOD ODOR. 



It is Ivghly probable that it is not only the odor of the queen at all times which 

 causes a quecnlcss colony to enter a hostile camp (see p. s), but during the months of 

 greatest increase, from March to June or July, a powerful constituent of the hive odor 

 is the odor of the brood, a warm characteristic vapor exhaling from the thousands of 

 brood-cells. The chemical processes going on at this time in the cells, for the development 

 of the larvae, are of so intense a nature that a temperature of 28 to 32° C. is maintained 

 in the brood-chamber. On spring days this exhalation from the brood, which smells like 

 freshly baked bread, may be perceived some distance away in the direction of the wind. 

 Very probably this strong odor sets free the same reaction in queenless and broodless 

 colonies as the queen odor does ; but as such colonies always go over to the queen-right 

 colony, even if there is no brood at all or only a minimum amount, so in spite of this 

 vapor from brood and pabulum (the larvae swim in food), it is very likely the queen odor 

 and the humming of the queen-right colony which are of first importance." 



But, on the other hand, the attachment of the bees to the brood is very strong, as 

 may be seen from the fact that an unruly swarm, which has already withdrawn from one 

 unaccepted hive, will certainly remain if a frame of brood is hung in it. Again, swarms 

 can often be enticed from an undesirable place for capturing them (the middle of a 

 hedge, for example), by means of a frame of brood." 



THE INDIFFERNT ODOR OF YOUNG BEES. 



Young bees, particularly those just emerging, have an apparently faint and indifferent 

 odor, and they are, therefore, not attacked in a strange colony; the same thing is true 

 of young queens. In cutting out queen-cells, it happens repeatedly that the young queens 

 which are entirely or nearly "ripe" free themselves from their compartments. If such 

 a queen is immediately allowed to run through the entrance of a queenless colony, the 

 queening is usually successful. This depends, perhaps, upon the fact that, as described, 

 the individual odor is not yet developed, analogous to the similar indifferent "infant odor," 

 and that the common reaction-loosing hive odor has adhered but little so far. It is curious 

 that there are colonies which will not allow themselves to be requeened;" then all artifices 

 are in vain. 



However, in the winter months, when the bodily functions which determine the inten- 

 sity of the individual odor are for the most part quiet or weakened, the strength of the 

 individual odor decreases. In consequence of this we have prompt friendliness with 

 strangers, since the lessened odor of the hive excites only a weak reaction. Therefore a 

 union of colonies can be undertaken in early spring without observing the precautions 

 otherwise necessary. 



I noticed one day a change in two hives standing close to each other, which was totally 

 unintelligible to me. Colony "A," in which a vigorous increase was to be expected, showed 

 a constant diminishing of numbers, while colony "B" strengthened in a surprisingly short 

 time. By good fortune colony "A" was of the native brown variety, and colony "B," a 

 yellow Italian hybrid. This color distinction of the varieties, which has helped to solve 

 «;o many mysteries of the domestic economy of bees, brought the explanation in this case. 

 I was soon sure that colony "B" was taking up the young from the other hive, and I 

 found out how after long observation. A passage through possible crevices could not take 

 place, nor could the crossing be from one alighting-board to the other ; therefore only 

 the flying bees had to be taken into consideration. I noticed after some time that the 

 young Italian bees always took their flights of orientation earlier than their neighbors. 

 Now, when a thick cloud of these young bees, humming loudly, would be flying in front 

 of colony "B," the native colony would gradually begin to send out bees for orientation, 

 but its mass of humming bees was always considerably smaller. This was because many 

 bees, attracted by the loud buzzing, immediately plunged into the neighboring tumult, there 

 oriented themselves, and accordingly entered colony "B" thereafter. There they were 



" The "constancy" of bees to their queen, which is always the dominant instinct, manifests itself 

 in A starving colony by the fact that the queen is always the last to die; she is fed to the end by the 

 dying bees. In order to confirm this, I put a queen with a few bees and very little food into a box 

 covered with wire gauze. After forty-eight hours the bees were very weak; two days later only four 

 were still alive; the next day but one was living, while the queen was apparently as vigorous as ever. 

 The last surviving worker lay on its side unable to crawl; but when the hungry queen approached 

 demanding food, it tried feebly to join its proboscis to that of the queen in a vain attempt to give 

 her food. Finally the queen turned away; and when I looked again, half an hour later, the last 

 worker was dead, but the queen showed no sign of weakness. I then put her back in the colony. 



^' Dathe. 1. c. p. 225 and 830. 



" Bienenwirtsch. Centralblatt, Jahrg. 28, Heft 19, p. 298, 1892. 



