SECTION L. THE HONEYBEE 



THE keeping of bees for the production of honey is an 

 important industry in many sections of the country and is 

 practiced to some extent nearly everywhere. The occur- 

 rence of nectar in flowers and the visits 

 of the bees and other insects to the flow- 

 ers to secure it are well-known facts. Many 

 wild bees store honey, but the few kinds 

 kept and cared for by man have developed p IG 179. WORKER 

 a wonderful ability to do this. Bees are BEE 



provided with powerful stings which 

 they are likely to use if anything 

 threatens their home and honey sup- 

 plies. But bees are not dangerous to 

 one who knows how to handle them 

 FIG. 180. DRONE BEE properly. 



The members of a colony. The workers number from 

 25,000 to 35,000 in a hive. These do all 

 of the work of collecting and storing the 

 honey and all of the housekeeping in the 

 hive. Besides the workers there are a few 

 male bees or drones, and usually only one 

 queen (Figs. 179, 180, 181). If more than FIG. 1 8 1. QUEEN 

 one queen is present, there will be warfare BEE 



between the two until one is killed ; or if the colony is 

 strong and the honey supply abundant, part of the 



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