128 THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. June, 



with antennae, mandibles, or tongue she may be quite unattended, and the 



a small artificial light was turned on workers even hardly getting out of 



at close range on the individual bee her way. As she moves along she 



under observation, for a few seconds frequently pokes her head into a cell, 



at a time. None of these things and if it is empty and clean, may dip 



seemed to seriously affect their be- her abdomen into it and deposit an 



havior, not at all noticeably to or- egg. She seldom persists in the same 



dinary observation. It was partic- kind of activity for longer than ten 



ularly desired to make the observa- minutes at a time, on an average, 



tions as minute and detailed as it was much less than this. She may move 



possible to do, so that some sort of along for several minutes without 



quantitative statement of the results doing anything else, or may look into 



could be made. Consequently tliey many cells, depositing eggs at the 



were summarized in notes at least rate of two to several a minute, 



every five minutes, generally oftener, Then she may stop for an interval 



and the exact time the bee was en- and sit more or less perfectly quiet, 



gaged in each kind of activity noted, resting, or "barbering" (I use this 



But, except where the occasion re- term as descriptive of the activity 



quired it, no individual bee was common to most insects, and termed 



kept under continuous observation by others "making their toilet") her- 



throughout the day. Instead of this self thoroughly, or feed for half a 



the observations were made generally minute or so. I transcribe the fol- 



in twenty minute periods, one every lowing from my notes as a typical 



hour or every three hours. The ob- twenty-minute period of observa- 



servations on individual bees were tion: Observation on the young 



limited to two queens, and eight queen; time 4 p. m. "i. Rests, at- 



marked workers. Further details and tended by 7-1 1 workers, licking and 



observations on special activities will barbering her. An occasional slight 



be stated when I come to the state- move. 2. Barbers herself 20 seconds, 



ment of those results. Rests two minutes and then moves. 



I shall give first the results on the f^^^^^^^^^.f^^ k"gr in'iTtconfs' 

 two queens. Some statements w 11 . seconds Egg in 10 sec- 



necessanly not be contributions to Jg ^^^^^ ^^jj^ ^^^^^^ .^^^ 

 our previous knowledge, but are m- ^^^ .^ ^^ seconds. Egg in 12 sec- 

 eluded for the sake of givmg a com- ^^^^ ^^^^^^ P^^^ ^^jj^ ^^^^^^ .^_ 

 plete picture of the bee s life. ^ ^^ ^ Mioves. Sits still 30 seconds, 



The queen's work is all within the not attended. Sits still two minutes, 

 hive. She remains on the surface of attended by 7-1 1 workers." The main 

 the cells, never entering one except characteristic of her doings is the 

 with the abdomen to deposit an egg greatest sort of irregularity. She 

 at its bottom. The number of eggs alternates from one thing to the 

 laid in the course of twenty-four other often at only several seconds 

 hours varies largely with the general intervals. From merely observing 

 condition of the hive, but it may her at different parts of the day and 

 normally reach two or three thou- night it is not noticeable that light 

 sand. Says Cook: "The activity of or darkness makes any difference to 

 the queen is governed largely by the her. She seems about as active at 

 activity of the workers. The queen night as during the day, and in about 

 will lay sparingly, or stop altogether, the same way. The following table, 

 in the interims of storing honey, however, gives my results in figures, 

 while on the other hand, she is stimu- on the two queens, with respect to 

 lated to lay to her utmost capacity three things, egg-laying, feeding, and 

 when all is life and activity in the resting. The old queen was watched 

 hive." At any time of the day or for fifteen minutes every hour for 

 night she may be seen moving slowly a continuous period of twenty-four 

 over the cells, the workers generally hours, omitting three hours, from 

 making way for her, frequently sever- 12-3 a. m. It was in the latter part 

 al being arranged around her, patting of May when the hive was quite busy 

 and rubbing her with their antennae, gathering pollen and nectar, and the 

 and offering her food. But at times comb about a fourth filled with 



