Flowers. 



if 



with both anthers and stigmas, so that the pollen is quite 

 certain to be transferred from one flower to the stigmas 

 of another. 



136. Relation of Bees to Flowers. — Bees gather and 

 store up both nectar and pollen for themselves and their 

 young, and are more indefatigable 

 than all other insects in their visits 

 to flowers. Their mouth parts are 

 so constructed that they can transfer 

 pellets of pollen, by means of their 

 mandibles, directly to the so-called 

 mouth or opening into the pharynx, 

 whence it passes through the 

 oesophagus into the stomach ; or 

 they can adjust an elongated suction 

 apparatus to the mouth opening, and 

 by means of it suck up nectar from 

 more or less concealed nectaries. 



Since bees depend almost entirely The head and mouth parts of 

 upon flowers for their food, and are 1^:^::^^^:, Z^ 

 at the same time of inestimable bie ; ^, flap over the mouth ; 



1 , 1 . • T 1 • w-^t maxilla; /A labial pal- 



value to plants in accomplishmg p^^. ^ ,„„g^g „, u^,^ 



cross pollination, it may be taken with button-like extremity i. 



for granted that the structures of 



bees, and of flowers visited by them, have been evolved 

 side by side, and have influenced each other by their inter- 

 dependence. The mouth parts of the bee (Fig. loo) are 

 used, not only for collecting food, but also in the construc- 

 tion of the comb, and in other manifold duties pertaining 

 to the care of the young. 



The bee flies from flower to flower until the honey 

 stomach (see Fig. lOi) is extended to about ^-^ of an inch in 

 length and -f-^ of an inch in breadth ; it then flies to the hive, 



