The Delaware register, or, Farmers', manufacturers' & mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1829, 1828-11-22

we often hear OF their adopting the srangeSt and most
unsuitable tenements for the construction of cells
hussar's cap, so suspended from moderate sized
branch of tree, as to be agitated by slight Winds
wasfound filled with bees and comb An old coat,
that had been thrown the decayed trunk of tree
and forgotten, was filled with comb and bees. Any
thing in Short either the habitaons of man, or
in the forests, will serve the bees for shelter to their
combs.
If this instinct were absolute persons
would make us believe, the bees, when swarming |
would undoubtedly choose domcile, as nearly similar
the one they had left as possible but this is rarely
the In their pursuit of food, with which the
woods frequently supply them the gardens, their
quick eye guides them to the places suitable for the
establishment of swarm. They do not, by distinct
succession of thoughts, arrive at the conclusions that
the hollow tree will suit them dwelling but they
find it unoccupied they pass daily, and when the
whole swarm is collected the branch of tree, |
those foragng scouts that have esped the hollow tree
run the of bees they hang, give the sig
nal of departure, lead the way to the woods, and the
queen and the whole swarm follow to the selected tree.
But although the bees rarely unprovided with a
retreat for a new SWARM yet they readily accept of
more obvious when offered Aware Of this will
ngness the part of the bees, man takes the oppor
tunity, when they collecting their numbers, Of in
Producing them into hive, and of bringing them UNI
der his own immediate surveillance, that he may the
more easily partake of the fruits of their labors Yet
although colony after colony have dwelt in minteR-
Tuped succession in particular apiary their instinct
is not improved, their reflective powers enlarged
They are the same in all their instincts and formations
as they wee when the first observations their hab
its, with which we acquainted, were made.
We have for seven years, had a little colony under
our immediate inspection, and we began our personal
observation with the knowledge of all that ancient and
modern theorists have advanced, III relation to the hab
its, customs and manners, of this wonderful insect
We came to their superintendent with mind tnctu-
rcd with all that was marvellous and fancfu and with
an aror that seven years have not subdued although
theory after theory has now melted away, and most of
the wonders and enigmas have been solved, and redu
ced to the clearest and most simple particulars Our
wonder and admiration, although deprived of the
charms of the fancitu legends in which the history of
the bee was embodied, still undlnnished, nay, In
creased for an elevation of thought and feeling has
been produced by the study
Notwithstanding the astonishing sagacity to he ira
ced in the economy of bees and the diversity Of hab
It's which might be expected nature in reality is less
variable in this instance than in most others for al
though climate and a contracted habitaton may re-
luce their sze and scantness of food reduce their
numbers, yet as long there flowers the bee will
abstract the honey and long there forests the
bee will construct a cell With other insects and an
inas and even with man himself, the is different.
Insects will imhbe nourishment from the exudations
of both animal and vegetable substances. Man can
accommodate himself every variety of Diet and thrive
on ALL The bee alone never changes its food The
sweet sap that exudes from vegetable pores. and which
if accumulated in the nectary Of flowers, alike