The Work in the Hive. 



107 



become fat and clumsy for another. Of 

 course the sweet meal must be disposed of 

 in some way ; and, in fact, there is formed 

 from it a substance something like fat, only 

 different. 



This substance is wax, and it finds its 

 way in liquid form through pores in the 

 bee's body into the eight depressions on 

 the under-side of the abdomen, where it 

 hardens. We might say she sweats out 

 the wax into her pockets. 



When Miss Apis wants wax, then, she 

 eats a hearty meal of honey and suspends 

 herself in the hive for a nap while it digests. 

 When she wakes up, her eight pockets are 

 full of wax. It was Huber who first told 

 us that wax is made from honey eaten by 

 the bees. 



"7 



