2 
Psyche 
[March 
substance associated with the sting would, therefore, seem to be an 
efficient tagging mechanism. Subsequent stings would then replenish 
and augment this chemical label. 
An examination of the sting apparatus to determine the source of 
this scent revealed several facts. The contents of neither the large 
poison reservoir nor the so-called “alkaline” accessory gland have any 
detectable odor. A minute amount of fluid, immiscible with water, is 
held between the bulbous base of the sting shaft and the setose lobe 
of membrane which folds over it. The sting odor is particularly asso- 
ciated with this membrane, although it is sometimes detectable on other 
basal structures as well. 
No glandular tissue was found to be immediately associated with 
the setose lobe covering the bulb of the sting shaft. There are, how- 
ever, two masses of glandular cells, lying against the inner surface 
of the quadrate plates, which secrete by individual ducts onto the 
outer surface of these plates (Snodgrass, 1956). There is a contin- 
uous space surrounding the sting base through which this secretion 
can flow, eventually to collect beneath the setose lobe. 
It may be significant that under natural circumstances the under 
surface of this lobe is exposed only when the sting is partially extruded, 
or during the act of stinging. The sting is frequently extruded by 
alarm bees, particularly when bees in the winter cluster are disturbed. 
Exposure of honey bees to stings pulled from freshly-frozen workers 
results in a marked change in behavior. Pieces of filter paper, bearing 
one or more stings, were introduced into an observation hive contain- 
ing a normal colony, and the subsequent behavior observed. A sudden 
agitation was first observed in the vicinity of the introduced stings, 
spreading quickly outward to a radius of about 15-20 cm. After the 
first sharp wave of agitation, during which most of the bees in the area 
buzzed momentarily, a general orientation to the stings occurred, with 
many bees converging on the paper. Individual bees standing near or 
over the introduced stings assumed an abnormally high stance, with 
the antennae constantly waving, and the wings partially extended, in 
marked contrast to the normal posture of resting bees. These indi- 
viduals successively accosted approaching workers, turning from side 
to side and sometimes making short flights to do so. Apparently identi- 
cal behavior may be observed in guard bees at the entrance of a hive. 
Control pieces of filter paper, introduced into other parts of the hive, 
or alternately with those bearing stings, elicited no such behavior if 
the introduction was made carefully without mechanical disturbance. 
An experiment was conducted to determine whether the presence 
