The Cycle of the Year 85 



into the honey to preserve it. No such action has been 

 observed. Possibly these speculations are the basis for the 

 calculation of the acidity of honey by the chemist " as formic." 



The conversion of sucrose to invert sugars may also be 

 accomplished by the action of enzymes and the bee pro- 

 duces these, although what part of the bee's body is the 

 origin of the enzymes is not yet fully established. Honey, 

 as stored in cells, contains some suspended pollen grains 

 which are a probable additional source of enzymes. In- 

 version doubtless continues after the honey is sealed. 



The instinct to gather nectar and to store honey is not 

 universally predominant in the activities of a colony, even 

 though nectar is available. When a colony is preparing 

 to swarm it does not store as actively as at other times and 

 one of the serious problems of the northern beekeeper, 

 especially the comb-honey producer, is to keep his bees in 

 proper condition for storing. Since swarming and storing 

 are both instinctive activities, the substitution of one for 

 the other assuredly does not imply knowledge of future 

 needs, as is sometimes claimed. After swarming is over, 

 the storing instinct appears as prominently as usual. 



Collection of other materials. 



The gathering of pollen and propolis and the collection of 

 water are likewise activities of the colony. It is sometimes 

 stated that pollen is gathered only when needed but this 

 is not true, for queenless colonies gather large quantities. 

 The advice is occasionally given to watch the entrances of 

 colonies in the spring to determine whether pollen is coming 

 in, it being stated that queenless colonies may be detected 

 by a lack of pollen gathering. This is not a safe criterion. 

 Propolis is collected most abundantly in the late summer 

 and autumn and usually only when there is no heavy nectar- 

 flow. Water is needed at practically all times during the 

 breeding season, perhaps more especially in hot weather. 

 The bringing of water to the hive is most noticeable in the 

 early spring. 



