GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1317 



Fig. 7.— Stingless bee— worker. 



Fig. 8.— Honey-bee — Worker. 



the Mexican vanila is attributed to these 

 meHpona because of this abiHty to work when 

 other insects will not. The very slightest 

 increase of the seed or fruit of any of our 

 great crops will more than justify their in- 

 troduction. 



The honey production of the melipona at 

 the present is of no great importance. The 

 large melipona illustrated has been reported 

 to yield as much as eight quarts at one ex- 

 tracting. The smaller melipona of Cuba 

 gives only a few pints a year. The honey 

 is of a light amber color, light in body, but 

 of a very pleasant flavor. This honey is 

 esteemed by the native Cubans as a remedy 

 of great value, and finds ready sale at 

 good prices for this purpose. While the 

 yield is not yet of much importance, the 

 yield of the mellifera under similar cir- 

 cumstances is not much greater. The surplus 

 of the honey-bee in an old log or box hive 

 can scarcely be counted as of commercial 

 importance. Who would not say that, after 

 the study and work that has been bestowed 

 on the mellifera has been placed on the meli- 

 pona, the yield of the melipona would not 

 increase as has that of the honey-bee? Surely 



tliere is a chance of improving this stingless 

 bee to a great extent. True, the method of 

 storing honey is radically different between 

 the bees ; but do not the great honey-cups of 

 the melipona offer the ingenious inventor 

 a chance upon which to improve his talent? 

 Again, it is true that this melipona has not 

 been wintered successfully in the North; but 

 it is possible that, when we learn their habits 

 better, we may be able to do this. At pres- 

 ent Florida and California seem to be the 

 only places outside of our island possessions 

 in which these bees can be kept the year 

 round, though it is entirely possible that 

 they can be wintered in some other favored 

 regions where the winters are mild. 



"But," you ask, "can this stingless bee de- 

 fend itself against the bee armed with a fatal 

 sting or any other enemy?" I think it can. 

 They are remarkably quick in action. The 

 honey-bee is slow and clumsy compared with 

 them. Then they build their nests and guard 

 them so that it is next to impossible for 

 the honey-bee to enter. If we can induce 

 them to live in hives with wide entrances, 

 no doubt a honey-bee-excluding zinc built 

 for this special purpose can be devised. When 



Fig. 9.— Stingless bee, worker— side view. 



Fig. 10.— Honey-bee, worker— side view. 



