i86 



Introduction to Botany. 



and by a contraction of the honey stomach empties its load 

 of honey into the cells of the comb ; then, urged by an 



irresistible instinct, it 

 flies forth to repeat the 

 process again and again 

 until darkness sets in. 

 It can be seen at once 

 that the industry of the 

 bee places it in the fore- 

 front of insects useful 

 in the cross pollination 

 of flowers. 

 FIG - I01 - As has been said, bees 



Longitudinal diagram of the head and a part a j so co H ect pollen as an 



of the body of the honey bee." g, the flap . r 



over the mouth opening; mx, maxilla; important food for them- 



//, labial palpi; /.the tongue; o, the oesoph- se l ves an( J t h e ir VOUng;. 

 agus; s, honey stomach. When at rest + 



the maxillae, tongue, and labial palpi are Some pollen may be in- 



AffefcH a EtHi a R E indiCated by the dottedline ' cidentally swallowed 



with the nectar, but 



most of it is deftly transferred to the hind legs, where it 

 is sometimes heaped up in large masses, having been 

 rendered adhesive, if 

 necessary, by being 

 mixed with nectar. 

 Figure 102 is a photo- 

 micrograph of two legs 

 of a honey bee, one 

 loaded with pollen and 

 the other empty. Some 

 other bees, notably the 

 green bees which fre- 



Photomicrograph of two posterior legs of Honey 

 Bees, without pollen on the right, and with a 

 load of pollen on the left, x 3. 



FIG. 102. 



quent the yellow pond 

 lilies at early morning, 



