THE HONEY-BEE 55 



As the bee moves about in and on the flower, 

 pollen-grains fall all over her body and readily 

 adhere to the branched hairs which are thickly 

 scattered over its surface. The first joint of 

 each foot (tarsus) is provided with a thick coat- 

 ing of moistened bristles, and these are used 



FIG. 8. 



A bee upon the wing, showing the position of the middle 

 legs when they touch and pat down pollen masses. (Casteel.) 



to brush together and collect the pollen scattered 

 over the body of the bee. 



Unless the honey-harvest be unusually bounti- 

 ful the young bee which has just started collect- 

 ing food will confine herself to pollen, but after 

 some days she will turn her attention to honey, 

 or rather to nectar, which is not at all the same 

 thing as honey. The proboscis is sunk into the 

 nectaries of the flower and their sweet juice is 



