110 
Beekeeping 
As the secreted wax comes in contact with the air, it 
hardens, forming the scales of wax. 
The manipulation by 
the bees of the wax-scales 
has been carefully de¬ 
scribed by Casteel. 1 The 
scales are removed from 
the pockets by spines of 
the pollen comb (Fig. 54) 
on the first tarsal segment 
(planta) of the third pair 
of legs. The surface of 
the planta is passed over 
the ventral side of the ab¬ 
domen (Figs. 55 and 56) 
and after the scale is loos¬ 
ened the third leg is bent 
forward (Figs. 57 and 58), 
thus passing the scale to the front pair of legs. It is then 
masticated by the mandibles, after which it is ready to put in 
place in the new comb. 
The various movements 
in manipulation are so 
well shown in Casteel’s 
figures that further de¬ 
scription is unnecessary. 
It is clearly shown that 
the so-called wax-shears, 
which are described by 
so many authors as be¬ 
ing used to remove wax- 
scales, have in fact nothing to do with the wax manipu¬ 
lation. It is shown later that these are concerned in pollen 
gathering. 
Fig. 68. — Side view of worker passing 
wax-scale forward. Enlarged. 
Fig. 57. — Ventral view of worker pass¬ 
ing wax-scale forward. Enlarged. 
1 Casteel, D. B., 1912. The manipulation of the wax scales of the 
honey bee. Cir. No. 161, Bureau of Entomology, 13 pp. 
