5o8 INSECT INTOXICATION. 



INSECT INTOXICATION, 



[From " The Florist? June iS;o,/. 129.] 



IT is well known that the flowers of the Hollyhock 

 (Althaea rosea) contain an abundance of honey, 

 and humble bees and hive bees seem alike fond of it. 

 But unfortunately the honey possesses an intoxicating or 

 stupifying property, the precise nature of which I do not 

 know. The first year or two that I grew Hollyhocks in 

 this neighbourhood the bees did not touch them, being, 

 I assume, new to them, the hidden treasures lay long 

 undiscovered ; but now they seem to prefer them to any 

 other flowers, and the otherwise gay scene is enhanced by 

 the motion and music of these winged labourers. They 

 sip and sip till they become too helpless to fly, although 

 they retain the power of stinging, as I have unfortunately 

 experienced more than once while handling the flowers. 

 It is indeed pitiable to behold the humble bee he is the 

 greatest tippler with rounded form and rustic garb 

 hanging by one leg to the petals of a flower, his portly 

 person suspended between earth and heaven, while he 

 vainly struggles to "hold on." Down at last he goes, 

 luckless wight ! for a fall of six feet cannot be pleasant, 

 even to a bee when gorged with feeding. Safe on terra 

 firma,) he goes through a series of antics excessively ludi- 

 crous running, tumbling, whirling, sometimes recovering 

 and taking wing, but oftener lying exhausted on the cold 

 ground till the next day. 



The hive bee is less funny, but what a sad loss of time 

 to him ! for he oftener crawls into the pockets of the 

 flowers, and remains there while the earth revolves, and 

 till the sun again warms him into life and activity. I 

 wonder what account he gives to his queen of his long 

 absence and little gains as he returns slowly and leisurely 

 to his hive. But the worst remains to be told. Neither 

 of these insects seems to derive wisdom from experience. 



