MR. NEWPORT ON THE TEMPERATURE OF INSECTS. 
307 
Table VII. 
Showing the variation in the Temperature of two Bee-hives compared with the Tem- 
perature of the atmosphere, as observed at Chichester, in Sussex, during the An- 
nular Eclipse of the Sun on the afternoon of May 15, 1836. 
d 
X 
W 
Period of 
■d 
c 
o o 
d 
d 
o 
C4 
o 
£ 
<V 
O 
§ 
o 
d 
Observation. 
* 
Weather, Sec. 
<, CL 
0) 
$ta 
O) 
Remarks. 
S 
'“3 
5 
5 
1836 
f The bees have been clustering on the alighting board of the 
i 
May 15 a.m. 
/ // 
9 
E. 
Light wind, fine 
o 
67-7 
o 
87 
O 
18*3 
90-8 
O 
23-1 
J hive No. 2 for the last two days. The hive was now raised 
69-3 
1 an inch to prevent swarming. In No. 1 there are no indi- 
[ cations of swarming. 
2 
A.M. 
10 
E. 
Light wind, fine 
88-5 
19-2 
91-2 
21-9 
Hives calm, hut not many bees abroad at work. 
3 
A.M. 
12 
E. 
Calm, fine 
71-5 
93-6 
22-1 
90-7 
19-2 
Drones beginning to come abroad, no bees clustering. 
4 
P.M. 
n 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
70 
92-3 
22-3 
92 
22 
O Abundance of bees around the hives, loud humming. 
5 
P.M. 
2 
N.N.W. 
Light wind, fine 
69-5 
93-8 
24-3 
92-6 
23-1 
/ Eclipse has commenced, many drones abroad, bees greatly 
X excited, flying around the hives. 
6 
P.M. 
2* 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
69-3 
92-3 
23 
93-3 
24 
f Sunlight sensibly diminished, bees flocking home, very 
-* X few go abroad. 
7 
P.M. 
2* 
N. 
Calm, fine 
67-5 
93 
25-5 
93 
25-5 
^ Light still diminishing, scarcely a bee goes abroad. 
8 
P.M. 
2f 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
63-5 
91-5 
28 
92-5 
29 
^ Bees flocking home very rapidly, a few drones still abroad. 
9 
P.M. 
3 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
62 
91-4 
29-4 
92-5 
30-5 
^ Light greatly diminished. Geotrupes stercorarius on the wing. 
f Light more obscured, hives quiet as in the evening, not a 
10 
P.M. 
3J 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
59 
91-3 
32-3 
91-7 
32-7 
■■0 -s bee goes abroad ; cocks crowing, town in the distance 
[ hazy, cool light wind, sky very clear. 
11 
P.M. 
3 20 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
57-5 
87-5 
30 
90-8 
33-3 
^ J Eclipse past its maximum, two bees have just come home 
^ \ again. 
12 
P.M. 
3i 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
58 
87-2 
29-2 
91-4 
33-4 
s, f Light sensibly increased, bees at the entrance of the hives 
™ X an d going abroad. 
13 
P.M. 
3| 
N. 
Less wind, fine.. 
57 
85-5 
28-5 
90-7 
33-7 
^ Light still increasing, a few bees going abroad. 
14 
P M. 
3 50 
N. 
Less wind, fine.. 
57-5 
85-7 
28-2 
90-9 
33-4 
2^ Light much increased, bees still going abroad. 
15 
P.M. 
4 
N. 
Less wind, fine.. 
57-8 
87-1 
29-3 
91-4 
33-6 
®k j Great increase of light; one bee has again returned with 
[ pollen. 
16 
P.M. 
4* 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
58-5 
87-5 
29 
90-5 
32 
Buzzing and activity in the hives increasing, bees departing. 
17 
P.M. 
4 20 
N. 
Light wind, fine 
58-7 
86-7 
28 
89-8 
31*1 
J Eclipse nearly terminated. But few bees abroad from 
J \ No. 1. 
18 
P.M. 
4.1 
N. 
Calm, fine 
59-5 
87-5 
28 
89-9 
30-4 
O Bees abroad from No. 2 ; eclipse terminated. 
19 
P.M. 
5 
N. 
Calm, fine 
61-5 
86-5 
25 
90-3 
28-8 
Bees abroad from both hives ; sky clear, very fine. 
5. Quantity of Free Heat in the Hive, 
Having endeavoured to ascertain the quantity of heat radiated from the bodies of 
single insects, and also from one species of bee in society, I was desirous of gain- 
ing some information respecting the quantity of free heat developed within the hive. 
The information derived from the thermometer inserted at the top of the hive was not 
sufficiently satisfactory, owing, as before stated, to the bulb being very frequently in 
contact with the bodies of the bees. I therefore made the following trial, both with 
the view of preventing the hive from swarming and of ascertaining the amount of 
heat radiated from the bodies of the bees. So late as the middle of June, the bees in 
the hive No. 1 had not swarmed, but appeared at that time as if about to do so. I 
therefore elevated the straw hive upon a wooden one, of about thirteen inches square, 
with a hole in the top of it about eight inches in diameter, which allowed of a very free 
communication with the straw hive. In the back of this wooden hive was a window 
for ^observing what occurred within, and the bees were obliged to pass and repass 
mdcccxxxvii. 2 s 
