The Colony and its Organization 53 



Comparison with stingless bees. 



The arrangement and protection of the natural nest of the 

 honeybee may be compared with the arrangement found in 

 the stingless bees, to which they are closely related. These 

 bees do not build double rows of cells in their combs but the 

 brood is reared in cylindrical cells fused together in single 

 layers. The pollen and honey are stored in large spherical 

 cells of wax. Several years ago, the author had opportunity 

 to examine the nest of a colony of these bees minutely. In 

 this particular species, the spherical cells for pollen and 

 nectar are about one inch in diameter. The entrance is 

 contracted and projects as a funnel almost two inches out- 

 ward. This funnel is evidently composed of propolis and 

 wax to which pellets of earth are added. Inside the entrance 

 are the storage cells for pollen surrounding the outer half of 

 the group of brood cells. Back of the brood cells and par- 

 tially encircling them are the cells of honey, the honey in 

 this particular case being well ripened and of superb flavor. 

 The contracted entrance suggests a resemblance to the work 

 of certain races of honeybees (e.g. Caucasian, p. 196) in clos- 

 ing the entrance in the autumn, while the general arrange- 

 ment of the nest follows the usual plan for the honeybee 

 closely, except that the pollen cells are between the entrance 

 and the brood. 



