142 The Bee People. 
The only openings to the hives, as we 
know, are the little holes at the bottom 
where the bees go in and out. How, then, 
do they get fresh air? 
You will not be surprised to learn that 
Miss Apis has solved this problem in a 
very ingenious manner. 
The only possible way of ventilating a 
hive through the little holes at the bottom is 
by fanning or pumping the air in and out. 
The bees fan a current of air through 
the hive, by standing near the entrance 
holes and buzzing with their wings. 
The buzzing sound is made by the rapid 
motion of the wings, and even one bee 
can cause quite a little breeze. When a 
number of them stand together just inside, 
and sometimes also just outside the hive, 
and fan, they produce currents of air strong 
enough to keep the crowded hive perfectly 
ventilated. 
Bees are more careful to have plenty 
of fresh air than are people. Huber dis- 
