AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 37 



HONEY AND BROOD COMBS. 



Wax, after being produced by the bees, is formed by 

 the workers into comb, which consists of hexagonal- 

 shaped cells of two sizes — one for the deposit by the 

 queen of the worker eggs, the other for the same 

 purpose, for drone eggs ; and these are known by the 

 names of "worker " and " drone " comb. — Fig. 15. 



The worker cells measure about five to the lineal inch 

 and the drone cells about four. When used for breed- 

 ing purposes the former are slightly under half an inch 

 in depth, and the latter five-eighths of an inch, but 

 when used for the storage of honey they vary in depth 

 according to the space available. 



Fig. 15. DRONE CELLS. WORKER CELLS. 



(Natural Size.) 



The bees when allowed to construct their own combs 

 entirely, usually build much drone comb, which is sub- 

 sequently utilised for breeding what appears to be an 

 unnecessary number of drones, but the use of worker 

 comb-foundation entirely obviates this evil. — See 

 chapter on "Comb-Foundation." 



POLLEN AND BEE-BREAD. 



Pollen is the dust-like particles of farinaceous matter 

 which constitutes the fecundating principle of the 

 stamens of flowers and blossoms of all kinds. The 

 manner in which it is collected by bees has been already 

 described in Chapter IIL It is of great importance in 

 the economy of the hive, as, after being mixed with a 

 little honfey, and packed in the cells of the brood combs, 



