Social Bees and Wasps 



workers attend to the rest by pressing the pollen well into 

 the cell. 



Workers also collect nectar. This is sucked up from 

 flowers by the flexible tongue and swallowed into the 

 honey sac, which is really part of the stomach. With its 

 burden, the worker returns to the hive, and either passes 

 the nectar to the mouth of another bee or deposits it in a 

 clean new cell. The honey sac or stomach is a peculiar 

 organ ; it opens into the true stomach by two little slit-like 

 openings. Should the bee become hungry during its 

 peregrinations, it opens these slits and the nectar passes 

 into the true stomach, where it is digested. If it be the 

 aim of the bee to bring its supply to the hive, it keeps the 

 slits shut, so that the only means of exit for the nectar is 

 through its mouth, whence it passes when it is given to 

 another worker or deposited in a cell. 



The conversion of nectar into bee honey is one of the 

 most remarkable happenings in the daily work of the hive. 

 Nectar is a very watery liquid, and it is essential that 

 this water be driven off. Now all liquids pass into vapour 

 more readily in moving than in still air, and a high 

 temperature is also helpful. The workers seem to know 

 this, for they contrive a marvellous system of ventilation 

 which at once purifies the air in the hive and helps to 

 drive off the surplus moisture from the nectar. These 

 living ventilators are the hardest worked bees of all. In 

 various parts of the hive, and especially on the floor, they 

 settle themselves, with their heads downwards and their 

 hinder parts pointing upwards, the while they vibrate 

 their wings steadily and persistently, thereby causing a 

 draught. The active workers also, by their very activity 

 on and about the comb, raise the temperature of the hive, 

 and thus contribute to the evaporation of moisture from 

 the nectar. 



When the bees are ventilating their abode " a strong 

 current of warm air may easily be felt coming out of the 

 hive, if the hand be quietly brought close to the entrance. 



24 



