CHAPTER XXI 
POLLEN AND THE BEE 
POPULAR beliefs as to the ways of the honey- 
bee, unlike those relating to many other insects, 
are surprisingly accurate, so far as they go. But, 
dealing with such a complex thing as hive-life, it is 
well-nigh impossible to have understanding on any 
single point without going very much farther than 
the ordinary tabloid-method of knowledge can carry 
us. This is especially true with regard to pollen, 
and the uses to which it is put within the hive. The 
hand-books on bee-keeping usually tell us that pollen 
is employed with honey as food for the young bees 
when in the larval state; but this is so wide a 
generalisation that it amounts to almost positive 
error. As a matter of fact, the pollen in its raw 
condition is given only to the drone-larva, and this 
only towards the end of its life as a grub. For the 
first three days of the drone-larva’s existence, and 
in the case of the young worker-bee for the whole 
five days of the larval period, the pollen is 
administered by the nurse-bees in a pre-digested 
state. After partial assimilation, both the pollen 
and the nectar are regurgitated by these nurse-bees, 
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