BEES AND ANTS COMPARED 87 



her and the ants took her to the rubbish heap. She had 

 lost a feeler. No; I won't do such a thing again. 



DOROTHY. What else have you thought to do? 



KENNETH. I poked a dozen Carpenters into a tangle 

 of spider web, but they all got away except one. One of 

 those that escaped came back and worked her way to the 

 entrapped ant, told her something, and left. It did this 

 same thing twice again. 



CECIL. Then you set the prisoner free yourself. She 

 found another insect that had been snared, loosened it, and 

 let it fall to the ground. 



Bees and Ants Compared. 



KENNETH. How about the size of bumblebee and wasp 

 colonies? Yes, and bee colonies? 



ANT. There are only a few in a nest. These insects 

 live from a few months to twelve. Of course, the queen 

 bee may live a few years. 



FLORENCE. Where do bees get the wax for the comb? 



ANT. It comes out of the bee's body much like perspi- 

 ration exudes from your skin. Did you ever eat the wax 

 at a wound of a cherry tree? You see a tree can make 

 wax, too. 



FLORENCE. Neither I nor the bee could live on honey 

 alone. What does a bee do for bread and meat? 



ANT. It eats pollen. 



FLORENCE. How do bees stop up cracks in a hive? 



ANT. They gather gum from trees for that purpose. 



FLORENCE. You seem to eat most anything, while a 

 bee can't eat anything but honey, fruit juice and flower 

 dust. 



ANT. And now you see one reason why there are so 

 manv more ants than bees. 



