CHAPTER III 

 BOMBUS, THE HUMBLE-BEE 



THERE is something friendly, something homely 

 about the humble-bee which is entirely lacking 

 in the more specialised honey-bee and in the 

 rather terrifying wasp. Perhaps it is the popular 

 delusion that they have no sting which endears 

 them to us. Nevertheless, this is a delusion, 

 for both the queen and the workers have stings 

 and occasionally use them, but the poison is 

 weaker than that of their allies and the pain 

 inflicted correspondingly less. On the other hand, 

 certain advantages rest with the humble-bee, it 

 does not, like the honey-bee lose its sting when 

 used but can withdraw it and use it again another 

 day. Unless handled or. misused, however, the 

 queens do not sting human beings, though if the 

 nest be disturbed in an unmannerly way the 

 workers will often strike out. The economy 

 of the household is also more attractive to the 

 average man than is that of the bee-hive. It 



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