WINTERING BEES. 219 



the hive, or the humidity of the air which enters 

 their hives. 



"Vital energy in the bee is at its lowest point in 

 November and December. If, at this time, an un- 

 usual degree of cold does not force her to resort to 

 muscular action, she remains almost motionless, a 

 deathlike silence prevailing in the hive ; and we know 

 by actual experiment, that much less food is con- 

 sumed than at any other time. Breeding having 

 ceased, the weather-bound bees have no demands 

 made on their vital action, and we have never known 

 them at this time suffer from want of water. As 

 soon, however, as the queen begins to lay, which 

 occurs in many colonies early in January, and in 

 some by Christmas, the workers must eat more freely, 

 both of honey and pollen, to supply jelly for the 

 larvae, and wax for sealing their cells. Much more 

 water is needed for these purposes than when they 

 can procure the fresh nectar of flowers, and the want 

 of it begins to be felt about the middle of January. 

 The unmistakable signs of the dearth of water in a 

 colony, are found in the granules of candied honey 

 on the bottom of the hive" These authors go on 

 further to say : " After protracted and severe winters, 

 of every six bees that perish, five die for want of 

 water, and not, as was hitherto supposed, from undue 

 accumulation of faeces. Dysentery is one of the 

 direct consequences of water-dearth, the bees in dire 

 need of water consuming honey immoderately, and 

 taking cold by roaming about the combs." 



In our climate there is, usually, throughout the 

 winter such an abundance of moisture in the air, 

 that the point of complete saturation is often reached, 



