28 o 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXIV. No. 4 
which the heat was regulated by a series of lights. The temperature 
box was made by placing insulite on the outside of the box 34 by 35 by 
52 inches, the inside of which was lined with asbestos paper. There 
are two ventilating holes, one in the side near the bottom, the other in 
the top of the box. 
At all temperatures the bees were allowed at least 10 minutes to become 
adapted to the surrounding air before the first of the group was pierced. 
When readings were made at 52° and 58"^ C. it was found that bees 
exposed to this high temperature for about 30 minutes were dead. The 
Fig. I.—Graph showing the relation of body temperatures of Italian bees with the surrounding air. 
The bees which were taken from one hive were under winter conditions. 
bees were placed in the temperature box at this high temperature in 
groups varying from 5 to 8 bees per group and exposed to the tempera¬ 
ture for 10 minutes before any were pierced. The groups were placed 
in the box while its temperature was about that of the room. The lights 
were then turned on, and after the temperature had reached 52*^ or 58° 
and remained constant for 10 minutes the temperature readings were 
made. * 
The data for the temperature curve (fig. i) were obtained from 
Italian bees that were all taken from one hive and in winter condition. 
On November 25 this hive along with about 90 others was placed in a 
