16 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



of 2 lb. of materials have to be collected every day. 

 Beyond tbis tbere is often, in favourable weatber, a great 

 accumulation of honey. We have known a hive gain 20 

 lb. weight in two days. This year, at Cairnie, in Aber- 

 deenshire, Mr Shearer had a hive that gained 10 lb. in 

 weight in on e day . 



The Ingenuity of Bees. 



To mention half the instances of ingenuity seen in a large 

 apiary would fill a book. In the building of combs and for- 

 mation of 'cells, design is strikingly evident. Honeycomb- 

 ceUs are made to dip to the bottom. If a piece of guide 

 is put in wrong side up, the bees adapt it as a commence- 

 ment, but reverse the dip of the cells, so that they slant 

 in the best direction for holding honey. The stays and 

 props so frequently given to weak places and loose combs 

 display great ingenuity. 



When a swarm is put into an empty hive which it can 

 only half fill, the bees, on commeijcing work, find that 

 the way to the door by the sides of the hive is round 

 about ; and to shorten the way, they let down two or 

 three beautiful bee-ropes, on which to descend and ascen d. 

 These ropes are made by one bee suspending itself to 

 another, each bee coming lower down tQl the board is 

 reached. 



In sprLag months bees are anxious to hatch as many 

 young bees as possible, and therefore spread themselves 

 out as widely as they can. Sometimes the weather sud- 

 denly becomes cold, causing the bees to have some fears 

 about their brood being chiUed. In order to protect the 

 brood some bees gather themselves into a cluster in the 

 doorway, and thus prevent the cold from going into the 

 hive ; or, as our more accurate friends would say, to keep 

 the heat in. Often is the door so closely wedged up — so 



