196 WAX A BY-PRODUCT OF THE APIARY 
apparently for the purpose of secreting wax and with it building 
the new combs which will be necessary to store the food supply 
and rear the brood of the colony. The wax pockets are eight in 
number for each worker-bee. They are located on the under side 
of the abdomen, four on each side. By watching the bees at 
times such as above mentioned, the little wax scales can be seen 
protruding between the segments of the abdomen. The author 
is not sufficiently gifted to describe the wonderful manner in 
which they utilize these minute scales and the way they manipu- 
late them to form the perfect combs which are so essential to the 
welfare of the colony. No description will satisfy the enthusias- 
tic bee-keeper who must see it all for himself. By providing 
an observation hive at the proper season many interesting opera- 
tions may be seen. The worker may be seen to take the wax 
scale in her jaws and to knead it, apparently, after which it is 
added to the partially built comb which her predecessors have 
started. But a moment is thus occupied when she moves away 
and her place is taken by another who also adds her portion. 
The work is done very much as though men in building a wall 
each brought a single brick and put it in place and went away. 
Yet in spite of the apparent hit and miss method of building, 
there is no more wonderful or more perfect structure than the 
combs of the honey-bee. 
Wax melts at a low temperature, as many a bee-keeper has 
learned to his cost when brood combs have been left exposed to 
the hot sun on a summer day. At times the heat is sufficient to 
melt the combs within the hives, especially when they are sur- 
rounded by high board fences, dense undergrowth, or other ob- 
struction that prevents a breeze from reaching them, or if the 
hives are not well ventilated. 
The young bees do most of the work of comb building, as 
the ability to secrete wax declines with advancing age. In ease of 
necessity old bees will build combs, although apparently they 
secrete wax less readily and in smaller quantities than the 
younger ones. 
