THE FIIACTICAL BEE GUIDE. 



CHAPTER II. 

 THE BEE IN SPRING. 



7. Signs of Survival With the lengthening of the days, the 



living mass clinging to the hive-combs feels the quickening 

 breath of spring, and the bees of the cluster begin to move. 

 Those on the outside pass in to the warmer centre of the sphere. 

 The sun, in genial humour peeping through the open door, 

 gives to the long-imprisoned inmates assurance of kindlier 

 conditions without ; and the bee-man, watching for signs of 

 survival, delights to see first one, and then another, and 

 presently many of his little pets appear upon the alighting 

 board. Discreet in their new-found joy, they risk no long 

 excursion, nor venture over much. Scenting the freshness of 

 the air, they seem to revel in it, and in the heat and light 

 which stir the life in them. They move about the entrance; 

 examine the doors and porch ; meet and salute each other ; and 

 rising, fly for a moment in front of the liive. A gladsome 

 hour this for the bee-man also ; an infectious happiness. 

 He knows now that snow and storms, and all the frost and 

 cruel winter hardships have failed to work their devastation 

 within the little home which his foresight and loving care 

 secured and sheltered before the falling leaves had left the 

 branches bare. With each succeeding sun the bees in larger 

 numbers move abroad — creatures " fanatically cleanly," who 

 will suffer much and long and yet refuse to sully the purity 

 that their incessant care preserves within the hive. 



8. Breeding begins — In this, the new year's opening month, 

 begins that wondrous work on which the thoughts, and 

 energies, and hopes of all the colony are concentrated (186). 

 The queen, stirring in the centre of the cluster, communicates 

 to all around her that the hour has come for which, through 

 the long months of winter, they have lived and waited ; and 

 activity spreads throughout the hive. From cell to cell, within 

 a small circle, she passes, examining each, and depositing 

 therein a tiny egg. Upon it nurse bees will lavish most tender 

 care. During three days they will hatch it ; and then, the grub 

 appearing, it shall be fed for five days with food of the sweetest 

 and purest — honey and pollen drawn from the flowers in the 

 previous summer and stored for this same purpose in adjacent 

 pombs. Then shall the cell be sealed, still warmed by the 



