162 Bee-Bread and Propolis. 
have the same color of pollen throughout, are never filled 
quite to the top, and not infrequently the same cell may 
contain both pollen and honey. Such a condition is easily 
ascertained by holding the comb between the eye and the 
sun. If there is no pollen it will be wholly translucent; 
otherwise there will be opaque patches. A little experience 
will make this determination easy, even if the comb is old. 
It is often stated that queenless colonies gather no pollen, 
but this is not true, though they gather less than they other- 
wise would. It is probable that pollen, at least when honey 
is added, contains all the essential elements of animal food. 
It certainly contains the very important principle which is 
not found in pure nectar or honey—nitrogenous material. 
The function of bee-bread is to furnish albuminous food 
to all the bees, adults no less than larve. As already stated, 
brood-rearing is impossible without it. And though it is 
certainly not essential to the nourishment of the adult bees 
when in repose, it still may be so, and unquestionably is, 
in time of active labor. This point is clearly proved from 
the fact that pollen husks are almost always found in the 
intestines of bees. We may say it feeds the tissues of the 
imago bees, and is necessary that the workers may form 
the food for the queen, drones and larva. Schonfeld thinks 
the bees must have it in winter, and in case no bee-bread 
is in the combs, he thinks the bees scrape it from the cells 
and old combs. 
PROPOLIS. 
This substance, also called bee-glue, is collected as the 
bees collect pollen, and not made nor secreted. It is the 
product of various resinous buds, and may be seen to glisten 
on the opening buds of the hickory and horse-chestnut, 
where it frequently serves the entomologist by capturing 
small insects. From such sources, from the oozing gum 
of various trees, from varnished furniture, and from old 
propolis about unused hives that have previously seen 
service, do the bees secure their glue. Probably the 
gathering of bees about coffins to collect their glue from 
the varnish, led to the custom of rapping on the hives to 
inform the bees, in case of a death in the family, that they 
