56 STUDIES IN INSECT LIFE, ETC. 

 sucked up. The nectar is stored in the so-called 

 honey-crop for transference to the hive, and 

 when a bee is seen seeking her home with her 

 abdomen distended by a full honey-crop it is 

 useless to search her for pollen ; reciprocally a 

 bee whose hinder legs are burdened with pollen 

 has ever a slender abdomen. Except at the 

 time of swarming, when the bees that leave the 

 hive gorge themselves with honey so as to have 

 some provision for their new home, no worker 

 ever leaves the hive laden with honey. A bee 

 with a swollen abdomen is always a homing bee. 

 The area from which bees collect nectar and 

 pollen usually extends over a circle whose radius 

 is three to four kilometres, although, under 

 special circumstances, i.e., an unusually rich 

 supply of nectar, bees may fly six or even seven 

 kilometres, but first they carefully orientate 

 themselves so as to fix the position of the hive 

 in their brain. The return journey causes no 

 trouble and is quick, a heavily-laden bee flying 

 home at the rate of 12 to 20 kilometres an hour. 

 A bee without honey and without pollen is said 

 by some observers to fly at the rate of 32 kilo- 

 metres an hour, whilst others claim that a speed 

 of 65 kilometres an hour can be attained. 



