2 MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTEALASIA 



first and second ledger line of the treble clef. Cheshire 

 makes this work out at about 440 vibrations per second, 

 — truly a muscular phenomenon for so small a body. 



The man in the street considers the sharp end of the 

 bee of most interest, but it is hoped this book will interest 

 him in both ends. The compound eye of 6,300 facets — 

 take a diamond and study it closely; it is ground to a 

 number of flat surfaces at varying angles. There are 

 6,300 little flat surfaces in the construction of the bee's 

 eye. Each of these facets reflects a perfect image of the 

 landscape, so we cease to wonder how bees find honey in 

 blossoms so far from home. In the darkness of the hive 

 the bees have the assistance of three simple eyes called 

 ocelli, situated in front of the head. 



When nectar is found, she brings into use the 

 marvellous tongue. This looks to our eyes just a coarse 

 red hair, but under the microscope it is no longer so. 

 Three delicate "tubes" all well within the compass of 

 a single thread: can we comprehend the fineness of the 

 hair lining the inside of the tubes? As the bee "licks" 

 up the nectar, these small hairs act as a strainer, and 

 all pollen grains are caught in the fine "mesh." What 

 wondrous architect designed this adjustable tongue? 

 How simply the bee ' ' unrolls ' ' the pseudo tube, and with 

 two front feet "brushes" away the pollen particles. Is 

 there any mechanical action so worthy of our reverence! 



Here from the head project the antennae — the 

 sensitive organs that guide the bees to their various 

 duties in the darkness of the hive. Aye, even more, do 

 not the antennae help the owner to discover the suitable 

 places on our body wherein to plant that excellent 

 weapon, the sting? 



That more people are acquainted with the sting than 

 any other portion of the insect's anatomy, we can readily 

 believe. However, in spite of scepticism, the sting, is a 

 weapon of defence, not offence. It is of wonderfully 

 delicate construction. It has a sheath that punctures 

 the skin, and a ratchet-like arrangement of darts, barbed 

 in such a manner that they work in deeper and deeper 



