150 The Honey-Makers 



the newly capped comb, spoiling its looks and ruining its 

 sale. 



In old, loose-jointed hives and in tree-trunks the propolis 

 is necessary to stop up holes and make the hive warm and 

 snug for the winter, but in the well-made modern hive it is 

 a decided nuisance, excepting in cases of defence. 



When a hive is attacked by robber-bees or more par- 

 ticularly by moths, the colony will often defend itself by 

 barricades built of propolis before the entrance, making 

 this so small that a moth cannot enter. 



It was from this use of the substance that it received its 

 name of " propolis," meaning " before the city." 



When bees build defences of propolis to prevent robber 

 bees from entering, they contract the hive entrance so that 

 but one bee can pass at a time, when the guards can take 

 care of the robbers. 



Bees have been known to cover glass hives with propo- 

 lis — doubtless to expel the light — thus rendering them 

 useless for purposes of observation. 



The bees get propolis from the covering of varnish on 

 the buds of some trees, but they are not particular, 

 eagerly collecting their troublesome glue from pitch, resin, 

 varnish or any similar substance they can find. 



Darwin tells us in the " Origin of Species " : " Andrew 

 Knight observed that his bees, instead of laboriously 

 collecting propolis, used a cement of wax and turpentine, 

 with which he had covered decorticated trees." 



Propolis is greenish-yellow, and glistening in appearance 

 when first gathered, but soon changes to a dark brown. 



It has a strong balsamic odor and is gathered and carried 

 on the thighs like pollen. 



Propolis was formerly valued in medicine, and in some 

 countries is still used, men going about and cleaning it 

 from the hives. 



