Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-03-27
The CARPENTER Bee.

mason, while the third may be termed an
upholsterer.
The Carpenter Bee is almost as large as
the humble bee; not SO downy, but more
deeply colored. In spring, it seeks out
some old post, or withered branch Of u
tree, to commence its habitation, carefully
stunning, with a wonderful instinct, the
green wood, which, from its toughness,
would not suit its purpose. The position,
also, as well as the quality, Of the materi-
al, is taken into consideration for the
bee will not select place where Ihe sun
rarely shines.
As soon as piece Of dry, rotten wood
is found, our carpenter begins to bore in
an oblique direction, and having gone a
sufficient depth to answer the purpose,
changes the direction of the cavity, and it
is now continued on an axis, perpend!cu-
lar to the horizon. The insect is thus &C.
cupicd for weeks, and sometimes even for
months.
What a lesson is here given of perse-
verance, to those who are continually dis
posed to change their employment when
in the least degree fatigued by its same
ness. For days together, the bee may be
seen going in and ou: of the hole, shovel
ing out the sawdust which has accumula-
ted from the patient labor The cavity is
from twelve to fifteen inches in length,
and frequently large enough to admit
mans finger.
After the tube is finished, it is divided
into about dozen compartments, each OF
which is to receive an egg. The bottom
of the tube forms the foundation Of the
first room. Having the house completed
the bee collects the materials of which to
make and pile up in this room quantity
of bee-bread, about half an inch in height
Upon this, one egg is laid !; and over the
whole mass roof is formed which serves
as covering to the first division, and
feor to the next above it. Each of these
partitions is about the thickness Of fifty
cent piece.
The bee follows very systematic plan,
" - ----:---s-- - ---.'s'c-
ing the house, and in arranging the cells.
She begins BY fastening the particles OF
saw dust with kind of glue around the
walls of the cavity, until an annuar pro-
lection is made. Inside the ring she CLUES
more, and thus works from the circumfer-
ance to tue centre until, at last, perfect
covering of concentrical circles of sawdust
is formed.
Having completed her first cell and de-
posted an egg, she now proceeds to form
another heap of bse-bread, and second
egg is deposited, which she covers with
similar roof of glue and sawdust. a Sec
ond cell being finished, her labors are con-
tinued until the whole cavity is filled by
calls, one above another.
Wonderful as it may seem to US who
are gifted with reason, it thus seems that
God teaches this little creature not only
how to construct its cell, so as to accom-
modate its young, but to know the exact
quantity of food the grub will consume
from the moment Of its life until it arrives
at maturity and it deposits precisely that
supply which it will want from the period
of its tendsrcst state until the time it shall
come out as perfect as its parent.
! The honey. bee, it will be reeollected, is
furnished with q kind of basket, to carry
/ home the pollen collected 10 the fields.
The carpenter.bee, destitute Of this convs'
nience, makes use Of different apparatus
to carry food to its nest. Says Q distin-
guisbed naturalist, Reumer Z" l observed
several of these little insects walking in
the fores. Of stamens which surround the
flower of the poppy. By their bulk and
weight they upset and pressed down all
the little flameuts which crossed their
path. During their progress their hind
legs became covered with pollen, which
adhered to tho downy hairs upon their
surface. After they had thus gone over
several flowers, the last pair OF legs ap-
peared as If enveloped in foo.less boot
When load is thus secured, the insect
flies homo and brushes of the pollen,
which is then mixed with proper guam
tity of honey, and deposited in its place.
Each of the circles visible in the parii'
tions or floors marks pause in the labors
of the architect and their number bears
testimony to the unwsarisd industry which
formed them, grain by grain, into solid
mass The sawdust used for this purpose
was part Of that which was removed
when the carpenter was sxcavating the
tube. When shoveled out, it fell upon
the ground, and formed little heap. Now,
when materials are wanted to floor OF roof
the apartments, she bee Issues forth and
alights upon this heap Of 'avdu''' select.
. ora;n. and flies away 10 the interior oil