486 
HONEYCOMB 
I f the worker-cells were exact hexagons 
measuring five to the inch, there would be 
exactly 28 13-15 cells to the square inch on 
one side of a comb. But there is not this 
exactness, as will be shown by careful 
measurement, altlio the eye may detect no 
variation. Count the number of cells in a 
given length in a horizontal row of cells, 
and then make the same count in one of 
the diagonal rows, and it will be found that 
they are not precisely the same. That 
shows that the cells are not exact hexagons. 
The merging of drone to worker comb. 
Measure the cells in a number of combs 
built by different colonies, or even by the 
same colony, and it will be found that they 
are by no means all of them five to the 
inch. 
This, of course, refers to natural comb 
built by the bees without any comb founda¬ 
tion being supplied to them. Comb foun¬ 
dation is generally made with cells of such 
size that worker comb built upon it con¬ 
tains about 27 cells to the square inch. 
Instead of lessening our admiration, the 
slight variation from exactness in the work 
of comb-building, Avhen the bees are left 
free to take their own course, rather in¬ 
creases it, just as a piece of “hand-made” 
work is often more admired than that 
which is “machine-made.” The marvelous 
ingenuity displayed in adjusting the work 
to varying circumstances is something far 
beyond machine-like exactness. Cut a few 
square inches of comb out of the middle of 
a frame of worker comb in the middle of 
a good honey flow, and the chances are 
rather that the bees will fill the hole with 
drone combs. A few cells will be built that 
are neither drone-cells nor worker-cells, 
and these are called accommodation cells; 
but so skillfully are the adjustments made 
in passing from worker to drone cells that 
at a hasty glance one would likely say that 
all were either worker or drone cells. Ob¬ 
serve the small pieces of comb started at 
different points on the same top-bar on 
previous page. They may be at such dis¬ 
tances apart that, when the two combs 
meet, if built with rigid exactness, the cen¬ 
ter of a cell in one comb will coincide with 
the edge of a cell in the other comb. Yet 
so skillfully are measurements made, and 
so gradual the change as one comb ap¬ 
proaches the other, that the unaided eye 
can detect no variation from an unbroken 
Cross-section of honeycomb, enlarged view. The 
cells are partly filled with honey. This illustration 
shows that the cells are not straight and horizontal, 
hut curved and slanting upward. 
comb of worker-cells, and the whole is such 
an exquisite work of skill as no human ex¬ 
pert can equal. Besides the worker and 
drone cells, queen-cells are built at times, 
as described. 
In general, comb is built so that an an¬ 
gle is at the top and bottom of each cell, 
as in Fig. 1; and this is believed to give 
greater strength than if the cells were built 
like Fig. 2. 
