No. 5421 



COLOR SENSE OF THE HONEY-BEE 



91 



honey, and they attracted bees and flies. 13 Attention is 

 also called to the secretion of nectar by extra-floral nec- 

 taries upon the petioles of Prunus, the stipules of Vicia 

 and the leaves of various trees. These sources of sweet 

 secretions are frequently visited by ITymenoptera and 

 other insects, as well as over-ripe or partially decayed 

 fruit. 14 



A more interesting example than any given by Plateau 

 of the secretion of nectar by extra-floral nectaries is 

 furnished by the American cotton plant. Besides the 

 nectar glands within the flowers there is a small gland on 

 the center rib on the under side of each leaf, which at 

 times secretes nectar very freely. When the atmospheric 

 conditions are right, says Mr. J. D. Yancey in a recent 

 number of Gleanings in Bee Culture, drops of nectar will 

 collect on these leaf glands so large that they may be 

 readily tasted; and a bee has to visit only a very few to 

 obtain a. load. 



comes in with a considerable rush. I could not tell that this honey was 

 any different in either color or flavor from that gathered from the 



No other plant in this country besides cotton is known 

 to me which has extra-floral nectaries, which are of value 

 as a source of honey; but in favorable years there occurs 

 on a scale of enormous magnitude an illustration that 

 honey-bees will readily learn to gather sweet liquids from 

 green leaves. In many parts of Europe and America 

 Aphididae, or plant-lice, and scale insects (Lecanium) 1 * 

 excrete a sweet substance called honey-dew in such large 

 quantities that not only the leaves of the trees, but even 

 the grass and the sidewalks, are coated with it as with a 

 varnish. Honey-dew is attractive to many insects, as 

 bees, ants, wasps and flies. In California it is sometimes 



