Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-01
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WONDERS OF THE BEEHIVE.

WONDERS OF THE BEEHIVE.
One of the curious sights in hive is the
cluster which the bees make. Their nature
is such that they need high degree of ami
NAL heat. A single bee would probably
perish from cold, but when thousands cluster
together, they can endure the severity of
our winters. But in forming the cluster
they do not lie close together like litter of
pigs, nor stand side by side like flock of
sheep. Their mode is to hang themselves
from the ceiling or roof of the hive, or from
the branch of tree. Some hundreds of
them take hold of the underside of the roof
with their fore-feet which terminate in sharp
claws, and stretch themselves at full length.
Their hind legs hang down so that another
set of bees can grasp them with their fore
feet, and others still hang to them. But
these chains get linked together, each bee
perhaps hanging from two, and thus festoons
are formed, and the shape of the whole mass
is that of sugar loaf with the small end
down. We had occasion once to turn up
side down a box containing several hundred
bees, and as they gradually accommodated
themselves to their new position, we found
at the bottom of the chain bee, which,
while clinging to those above him with its
fore-feet, held in his hind-feet single nail
that happened to be loose in the box, and
from the nail still another bee hung. The
latter dropped off pretty soon, but the first
held on to the nail for half an hour before
letting it fall. The number of bees in such
cluster is sometimes very large, and the
weight is proportionally great so that the
strength of those tiny hooks with which the
feet end off, is more than we should suppose.
NUMBER OF BEES IN A SWARM.
The number of bees in an ordinary swarm
may be estimated by the actual weight. 1t
has been found by experiment that pound
of bees contains about FIVE thousand; and if
one knows the weight of the hive in which
he has put new swarm, he can easily CAL
culate the number of bees. 1t is desirable
that swarm should have at least 10000
bees; sometimes there are three times as
many. 1t is to be noticed, however, that a
new swarm on going from the old hive, is
heavily loaded with honey, and if no allow
ance were made for this, the estimate would
be too large.
The observing hire allows US to watch
each bee as it returns from its fightin search
of food. Those that come with load OF
pollen on their thighs, first attract our at
tention. This pollen IS the food Of the I'M
mature bees, and is kept stored away in
readiness for consumption when needed
The supply is procured months before it is
needed. And it is essential to the well-be-
ing of stock, though it is bitter to our taste,
and makes the honey with which it is, unfit
1or market or for the table. We see a bee
coming ip, with its we'll balanced load stick
ing out on either side like panniers from a
donkey. 1t marches along over the familiar
road from the entrance to the comb, and in
stead of going up to the spare honey boxes,
where the choicest stores are kept, makes its
way the neighborhood of the breeding cells,
and looks for an unoccupied spot. Passing
by those that contain honey or brood, it Sc
lects proper place, and thrustiug its hind
legs into the cell, it rubs them one against
the other until the entire load is brushed off ;
and then leaving it to others to pack down
the bee-bread, it starts off to make arrange
ments for delivering its cargo Of honey.
The honey is brought to the hive in the
aJdomea and is usually collected at the
same time with the pollen. The bee brushes
up the juice of the flowers with its five
tongued proboscis, and swallows it, If
when goreed with food, it were cut in two,
the honey might be found in the sack of the
abdomen. Or if the bee were suffered to
light on window in a strong light, the
semi-transparency of that part of its body
would show that it was loaded with honey.
A bee desiring to be relieved of its load,
gives an invitation to the company to help
themselves. This is done in a peculiar man
ner, if we have not misinterpreted their an
tics. Holding on the comb with its FORE
feet, it shakes itself violently, and repeated
ly, crowding away those that hinder its
movements. As one comes to accept the
offer, the two join probosces, and the honey
passes one to the other. In the same way
also they feed the mother-bee; but if the
honey be not wanted for immediate use, it is
poured into the cells provided for it.