The Cycle of the Year 
85 
into the honey to preserve it. No such action has been 
observed. Possibly these speculations are the basis for the 
calculation of the acidity of honey by the chemist “ as formic.” 
The conversion of sucrose to invert sugars may also be 
accomplished by the action of enzymes and the bee pro¬ 
duces these, although what part of the bee’s body is the 
origin of the enzymes is not yet fully established. Honey, 
as stored in cells, contains some suspended pollen grains 
which are a probable additional source of enzymes. In¬ 
version doubtless continues after the honey is sealed. 
The instinct to gather nectar and to store honey is not 
universally predominant in the activities of a colony, even 
though nectar is available. When a colony is preparing 
to swarm it does not store as actively as at other times and 
one of the serious problems of the northern beekeeper, 
especially the comb-honey producer, is to keep his bees in 
proper condition for storing. Since swarming and storing 
are both instinctive activities, the substitution of one for 
the other assuredly does not imply knowledge of future 
needs, as is sometimes claimed. After swarming is over, 
the storing instinct appears as prominently as usual. 
Collection of other materials. 
The gathering of pollen and propolis and the collection of 
water are likewise activities of the colony. It is sometimes 
stated that pollen is gathered only when needed but this 
is not true, for queenless colonies gather large quantities. 
The advice is occasionally given to watch the entrances of 
colonies in the spring to determine whether pollen is coming 
in, it being stated that queenless colonies may be detected 
by a lack of pollen gathering. This is not a safe criterion. 
Propolis is collected most abundantly in the late summer 
and autumn and usually only when there is no heavy nectar- 
flow. Water is needed at practically all times during the 
breeding season, perhaps more especially in hot weather. 
The bringing of water to the hive is most noticeable in the 
early spring. 
