The Colony and its Organization 
53 
Comparison vhth stingless bees. 
The arrangement and protection of the natural nest of the 
honeybee may be compared with the arrangement found in 
the stingless bees, to which they arc closely related. These 
bees do not build double rows of cells in their combs but the 
brood is reared in cylindrical cells fused together in single 
layers. The pollen and honey are stored in large spherical 
cells of wax. Several years ago, the author had opportunity 
to examine the nest of a colony of these bees minutely. In 
this particular species, the spherical cells for pollen and 
nectar are about one inch in diameter. The entrance is 
contracted and projects as a funnel almost two inches out¬ 
ward. This funnel is evidently composed of propolis and 
wax to which pellets of earth are added. Inside the entrance 
are the storage cells for pollen surrounding the outer half of 
the group of brood cells. Back of the brood cells and par¬ 
tially encircling them are the cells of honey, the honey in 
this particular case being well ripened and of superb flavor. 
The contracted entrance suggests a resemblance to the work 
of certain races of honeybees ( e.g. Caucasian, p. 196) in clos¬ 
ing the entrance in the autumn, while the general arrange¬ 
ment of the nest follows the usual plan for the honeybee 
closely, except that the pollen cells are between the entrance 
and the brood. 
