WATER. 



129 



Water. 



271. Water is necessary to bees to dissolve the honey, 

 which sometimes granulates in the cells, to digest the pollen 

 and to prepare the food with which they feed the larvse. 

 They can raise a certain amount of brood without water, but 

 they always seem to suffer more or less in consequence (663). 

 In the Winter, they breed but little, and the moisture which 

 condenses on the walls of the hive is generally sufficient. Yet 

 Ave have noticed that as soon as bees are brought out of the 

 cellar (653), if the temperature is sufficiently warm, a great 

 many will be seen sucking water. This fact shows that Ber- 

 lepsch was right when he advised bee-keepers to give water 

 to bees during Winter, to avoid what he called disease of the 

 thirst. Besides, every one may notice that bees take advantage 

 of any warm Winter day to bring it to their hives ; and, in 

 early Spring, may be seen busily drmking around pumps, 

 drains,' and other moist places. Later in the season, they sip 

 the dew from the grass and leaves. 



273. Every careful bee-keeper will see that his l)ees are 

 well supplied with water. If 

 he has not some sunny spot, 

 close at hand, where they can 

 safely obtain it, he will fur- 

 nish them with shallow wood- 

 en troughs, or vessels filled 

 with floats or straw, from 

 which — sheltered from cold 

 winds, and warmed by the 

 genial rays of the sun— they 

 can drink without risk of 

 drowning. 



A barrel half filled with 

 earth and then filled with 

 water, in which some water- 

 cress or other aquatic plants are kept, to preserve it from 

 putrefaction, and to prevent the bees from drowning, will 

 do very well. For a small apiary, a jug or bottle (fig. 50), 



Fig. 50. 



WATER SUPPLY BOTTLE. 



(From Sartori and Rauschenfels.) 



