92 
BEE BEHAVIOR 
After all, there is one redeeming feature; 
the basswood is-a very rapid grower. If 
basswood will replace itself in 10 or even 
20 years, so that it is again large enough 
for lumber, there is yet hope that it will 
continue to bless the beekeeper. Over 
against this is the stubborn fact that the 
basswoods are disappearing rapidly over 
the whole country. During late years, 
when there has been such a great advance 
in pine lumber, basswood has been used 
very largely for house-building, with the 
consequence that millions of feet have been 
consumed. 
Basswood, and perhaps most other forest 
trees, require shade, especially when young. 
Much to the author’s surprise young trees 
that were set directly under large white- 
oak trees did better than any of the rest. 
The trees should be planted not closer than 
12 feet apart. 
BEE BEHAVIOR. —Behavior is a term 
used to describe the activities of animal life 
whether induced by external or internal 
causes. Under this head will be described 
some of the various life activities of the 
bees, particularly those which have more 
or less to do with the practices of bee cul¬ 
ture. 
THE LARVAL BEE. 
On the hatching of the egg the tiny larva 
wriggles and twitches much as does a cater¬ 
pillar when poked with a straw. Almost 
at once it is supplied with food by a 
“nurse” bee. This part of the life of a 
larva has not received sufficient study to 
warrant any definite statement as to the 
frequency of the feeding, the amount sup¬ 
plied, its possible varying quality, etc. It 
must suffice now to say that the periods of 
feeding seem to be irregular and the 
amount of food received by different lar¬ 
vae varies largely. 
When the larva has completed its feed¬ 
ing period and has stretched out to its full 
length in the cell, the bees proceed to seal 
the cell. There are some exceptions to this 
when the larvas are left unsealed, tho usu¬ 
ally the cell walls are slightly extended and 
the opening contracted. Beekeepers speak 
of this as “bareheaded brood,” and it often 
causes the novice much concern. (See 
Brood and Brood-rearing.) The condi¬ 
tion has been ascribed to excessive heat; 
but as it occurs at other times than during 
the hot weather, and as some colonies sel¬ 
dom or never have brood in such condition 
while others almost always do, it is reason¬ 
able to look upon it as a congenital trait. 
In some cases uncovered brood is due to 
the work of the wax worm; but such brood 
looks very different and is always in the 
path of the worm’s work. 
After a brief rest the bee larva begins 
spinning its cocoon. Slowly the head turns 
from side to side and back and forth, grad¬ 
ually reaching the middle of the cell; and 
slowly doubling on itself, the larva extends 
its work to the base and lies at full length 
reversed in the cell. Before its labors cease, 
however, it resumes the former position of 
its head toward the outer end. 
In the case of the queen larva, the spin¬ 
ning begins and proceeds in the same way, 
but when she is reversed in the cell she 
reaches as far up as she can, but that is not 
to the base; and, as she cannot climb, there 
is no silken web on that part of the cell. 
When spinning lias' ceased, the larva 
turns on its back and lies still. The changes 
which follow take place so slowly that only 
after considerable intervals are the results 
noticeable. When the metamorphosis is 
virtually complete (see Development of 
Bees), there is seen in place of the larva a 
bluish-white bee lying motionless on its 
back. 
The only appendages seemingly missing 
are the wings. Careful examination will 
reveal each pair folded up in a little case 
(pellicle), which lies against the side of the 
thorax between the first and the second 
pairs of legs. 
The first sign of coloring is seen on the 
ends of the antennm, then on the eyes and 
feet, and gradually it extends over the 
whole body. As the time approaches for 
the bee to emerge from the cell slight tre¬ 
mors are to be seen in the feet and legs, or 
an antenna moves. About the beginning of 
the last day the encased wings begin to 
quiver and move. Slowly they turn until 
they lie under the bee and at once they un¬ 
fold. As soon as this occurs, the bee turns 
over and begins to cut its way out. 
THE YOUNG BEE. 
Almost as soon as out, it begins to move 
over the surface of the combs; and when it 
