ATJSTEALIAN BEES 7 



moistened with the tongue, and the pollen grains rolled 

 into a miniature pudding. In a flash the second pair 

 of legs transfer the pellets into the baskets of those at 

 the rear. Homeward she (for the worker-bee is an 

 undeveloped female) flies to pack the food into a cell, 

 and with a final cover of honey preserve it for the 

 feeding of the j^oung. All this and much more can be 

 credited to the industrious worker. 



.[Darwin stated that a dandelion flower produced 

 243,000 pollen grains, and one hazel blossom 4,000,000 

 grains. 



J. E. Crane, a prominent American apiarist, counted 

 over 100 flowers on a single dandelion plant. Each flower 

 developed close on 250 seeds. 



Pollen grains are very minute, those of the forget-me- 

 not have a diameter of 0-0025 to 0-0034 millimeters; 

 melons, -20 to -24. 



It takes a single bee from two to eighteen minutes 

 to secure its load of 100,000 pollen grains, according to 

 Kirchner. 



An analysis — by Planta — of hazel pollen showed a 

 nitrogenous content of 30-21 per cent., while that of the 

 Scotch fir showed only 16-6 per cent.] 



Pollen grains are composed broadly of two substances 

 — intine and extine — while a fine oil is secreted on the 

 surface during bright days. This probably accounts for 

 the extra large loads carried by bees in fine weather, as 

 the oil would tend to cause more grains to cohere. 



A COLONY OF BEES. 



If a hive contained worker-bees only, it would make 

 but poor progress. A queen-bee must be present. 



Ancient bee-men always referred to the monarch 

 insect as the "King-bee," but modern hives and keen 

 observation exposed the error of our forefathers. The 

 professional apiarist frequently witnesses queens in the 

 act of depositing eggs. Queens attend to this portion 

 of their work at a wonderful rate, and some have been 



