184 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



Apti. 



to 6 colonies. "Whether all are strong and in good 

 condition for winter, I do not know. The 7th swarm 

 he sold on a tree. Mr. Axtell swarmed the first for 

 him. The first time after that he took all the care 

 of them. 



VENTILATION IN CELLARS. 



We have about 15 colonies of bees in our cellar, 

 and the rest out of doors. As the bees are so strong 

 in numbers in the cellar, and so many of them to- 

 gether, we have to keep the three windows and door 

 open the greater part of the time, both night and 

 day, only shading the door and window so that the 

 direct rays of light will not make the bee-room too 

 light. We are glad to keep them open, as, when 

 closed for a few days, the confined air smells so im- 

 pure, and cellar air will most certainly find Its way 

 more or less into the rooms above, which, if impure, 

 will certainly carry with it disease and death. 



Mrs. S. J. AxTELL. 



Roseville, Warren Co., 111., Jan. 15, 18S3. 

 {Concluded next month.) 



DO BEES HEAR? 



FRIEND shuck's EXPERIMENTS. 



/pljONSlDERABLE has been said, of late, in the 

 mjli bee papers, on the above question ; and friend 

 ^-'^ Hasty's translation from Virgil, and his com- 

 ments on the same, have prompted me to write a 

 few lines for Juvenile Gleanings on this " some- 

 thing of first-class scientific interest." Friend Has- 

 ty says: "Some of the children will be surprised to 

 hear that bees are accused of being deaf." I, too, 

 am surprised that such persons as Sir John Lub- 

 bock, after playing the violin so closely to his bees, 

 and not being able to induce them to waltz, beat 

 time, or try the key of " one sharp " on him, should 

 fail to discover the effect of the music on them. 



If bees do not hear, why should they make so 

 many different sounds with their wings? Turn up 

 the cloth from over a colony of bees, and you will 

 hear several of the little fellows zeep, zeep, zeep. 

 Now give them a little puff of smoke, and notice 

 what a different tone, as they beat a retreat down 

 the combs. If they can not hear, why do they hum 

 so loudly when shaken from a limb, box, or basket, 

 infront of a new home? Why do the workers try 

 to catch a young queen, on returning from a flight, 

 before she alights? but as soon as she alights, they 

 treat her kindly. Why do they serve the drones 

 that appear first in the spring in the same way? 



But this is not proving that they do hear. I have 

 tried several experiments to prove or disprove that 

 they do hear. I have tried " whacking " stones and 

 shingles together near the hive in cool weather 

 when the bees were all quiet; and in warm weather 

 I have taken the combs from the hives, and tried 

 whistling, singing, and blowing a large sea-shell. 

 The effects are evident; and I repeat the assertion, 

 that I am surprised that any one should think that 

 bees do not hear. 



In cold weather, If you strike two stones, shingles, 

 or any thiing that will make a noise, together near 

 the hive, the bees will make a buzzing noise similar 

 to that when you tap the hives with the fingers or a 

 stick. But in singing, whistling, or blowing a horn, 

 the effect is singular. Short, quick, or moderate 

 tones do not appear to be noticed; but loud, pro- 

 longed tones, high or low, as sharp shrill whistling 



of the lips, singing, or blowing of a horn, have the 

 same effect. • 



Now, I should like to have our little bee-folks to 

 make the experiments for themselves, and report, 

 so we can have the testimony of at least two or 

 three, to prove that bees do hear. 



If you have an observatory-hive, you can make 

 the experiment without opening the hive. Wait un- 

 til the weather has become warm, and the bees are 

 very busy. Then take a horn, or something you 

 can make a pretty loud noise with; hold it close to 

 the glass, and just see what a nice rest they will take 

 while you blow; and as soon as the noise ceases 

 they all proceed to business, just as though no one 

 were near. If the roise is quite loud and steady, 

 and the bees are not disturbed, they will all become 

 perfectly still, just as if they were taking a little 

 "nap." S. A. Shuck. 



Bryant, 111., March, 1S83. 



Thank you, friend S. ; but as the Juve- 

 nile is more than crowded, I have thought 

 best to put you among the old folks. Those 

 who argue that bees do not hear, would 

 say that it was the vibrations, caused by 

 the sounds you made, that jarred them, and 

 thus produced the phenomena you men- 

 tion. Then arises the question, What is 

 vibration but sound, or vice versaf I want- 

 ed to hear you give one case you almost 

 touched — the " zeep " of a queen. Bees 

 will hear this, when it comes from a young 

 queen just being introduced, and will hurry 

 over to where she is, even when they are on 

 a comb, separated from the rest, and held in 

 the hand. I think bees do hear. 



HONEY FKOM CORN, AGAIN. 



A MISSING LINK IN THE CHAIN, AND NOT A DESIR- 

 ABLE ONE EITHER. 



E DESIRE to call your attention, as also the atten- 

 tion of all bee-keepers in the West, to the grow- 

 — ' ing importance of the corn aphis. This insect 

 has been known to entomologists for about fifty 

 years, and described by Dr. Fitch, of New York, as 

 aphis maidis. It is now becoming a dreaded enemy 

 to the corn interest of the country. The following 

 items are from Mr. Boardman: " About the latter 

 part of July the mature aphides will be found, often 

 in great numbers, together on the tassels of the 

 corn. They are about one-twentieth of an inch in 

 length, of a pale green color, except the front part 

 of the head, which is dark. On the upper and hinder 

 part of the abdomen are situated two small black 

 horny tubes, which stand up like two little horns. 

 From these tubes is secreted a sweet, honey-Wee fluid, 

 of which the ants are very fond ; and the presence 

 of the aphides may be easily detected by the num- 

 bers of ants always in attendance upon them. You 

 will find a part of the aphides are winged; these are 

 the males. They are marked very much like the 

 wingless females, except that their thorax is black, 

 and their abdomen is a greenish yellow. They have 

 four wings, which are held erect in repose. After 

 pairing, the male dies, and the female lays her eggs, 

 which in a few days hatch, and the larvse very nearly 

 resemble the parent, only smaller; and, strange to 

 say, this brood is all females, and, by a strange pro- 

 vision of nature, are capable of producing other in- 

 dividuals without the intervention of the male; and 

 instead of depositing eggs they are viviparous, bring- 



