THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



333 



au inverted qneeu cell, of which I shall speak 

 hereinatter. 



It is a well kuowu fact that bees when 

 changing from the construction of worker 

 to drone cells, build many which are irreg- 

 ular, both as to shape and size. Such are 

 known as transition cells. Although most 

 of the irregular cells liave six sides: still, a 



purposes as well as the storage of honey. 

 They are made to accommodate a worker 

 or drone, until the kind of cell decided up- 

 on has been fully reached. So the bees, 

 although the impossible occurs, suffer no 

 loss. However, we find some combs in 

 which the change is made with a greater 

 number of irregular cells than in others, 



#» 





3SSIlS«iB|fffl 



^»t* 



WORKER, DRONE, AND TRANSITION CELLS. 



few pentagon or live sided ones can be 

 found. To construct comb in which worker 

 and drone cells are contiguous, both of 

 which shall be perfect, is one of the impos- 

 siblies ; even with such skilled artisans as 

 honey bees. In modern hives with a large 

 supering surface, and consequently long 

 frames, the combs are often started at dif- 

 ferent points, which, when joined, cause the 

 worst possible forms of cells, whether the 

 combs be of worker ur drone cells, or both. 

 Such are not, properly speaking, transition 

 cells. Owing to this fac, possibly some of 

 our authors have made mistakes in illustrat- 

 ing them as transition cells. In tall hives, 

 the combs are started from a single point in 

 each range, and transition cells only can be 

 found. 

 It may be well to note that transition 

 oeU3 are all utilized by the bees for breeding 



which possibly may cause a loss of time in 

 construction. 



To accommodate the cells for both worker 

 and drone brood, those which are rather 

 under size for the latter, are narrowed at 

 the end or mouth, which enables the queen 

 to discriminate ; and being guided by the 

 size, insures the laying of an impregnated 

 or worker egg. By reference to the illustra- 

 tion such may be seen near the edge of the 

 comb. This work of the bees often leaves 

 quite a few depressions in the comb, and is 

 somewhat destructive to its symmetry and 

 beauty. 



Another imprefection in honey comb pre- 

 sents itself, which, like the former is so 

 slight that the casual observer would scarce- 

 ly notice it. I refer to the expansion and 

 contraction according to temperature, 

 which compels the beee to do maoh repair- 



