The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-03-09
CuriOsities of Bees.

According to Virgil, Jupiter gave the
bee its marvellous habits, because bees
fed him with honey when as an infant
he lay concealed in the Cretan cave from
his fathers search. The Curetes, a
Cretan tribe, used to dance around the
babe and drown his cries by rafting
braZen cymbals, whence comes the orr
gin OF swarm of bees at the present day
being pursued by housewives with much
changing of keys against frying
pans, the belief being universal,
that this noise is agreeable to
logic, argues, because this CHATTER is
always made when bees swarm, there
fore they must be gifted with the sense of
hearing. Kirby, who wrote a most val
liable monograph on bees, estimated that
there are about two hundred and fifty
species of them in England. 1t is gen.
| orally supposed that those bees which are
peculiar TO the New World, are destitute
of all offensive weapons. Humboldt,
however, explains that they have stings,
though comparatively feeble ones, and
they use them very seldom-only, in
short, when irritated and forced to de-
fend themselves. While seated on the
peak over Caracas, in South America, he
tells us, "determining the dip of the
needle, found my hands covered with a
species Of hairy bee, little smaller than
the honey bees Of the north of Europe.
These insects make their nests in the
ground; they seldom fly, and from the
slowness OF their movements, 1 should
have supposed they were benumbed by
the cold of the mountain. The people cali
them angetit0s Qlttle angels), because
they very seldom sting" Cosmos, 1. 435.)
Among the numerous tribes of leaf-cut-
ing and mason bees common in England,
most possessors OF garden must have
noticed the ravages of the nne0Gchike con-
tuncuIayts, one OF the former class. 1t is
much smaller than the hive bee, and cuts
little segments, as clear as If punched out
qy machine, from the leaves of roses
and peas. The operation is very speedily
performed when the bee has once made
her choice the strong mandibies go
to work, and soon the bee flies of
with her green load. II followed, it will
be found that her nest is situated in
some palisads or gate post. The creature
runs her tunnels into the wood by means
of these same powerful jaws, and then
lines them with the pieces ofleaf. They
are not fastened together, but the cells
are honey tight, and as fast as they are
lined with leaves an egg is dropped into
each. Perhaps Virgil, Pliny, and the
other ancient writers who speak of bees
carrying ballast to steady themselves in
windy weather, had witnessed the do
| ings ofleaf cutting bees, and COMPOUNDED
them with hive bees.
The working bee never lives longer
than nine months, they labor SO incess-
sleep. The daily consumption and
waste of large hive OF bees in summer,
may be taken at two pounds of honey /; it
will show the industry of the working
bees to bear in mind that beyond this,
such a hive in favorable weather will
often accumulate honey to the amount of
four and six pounds daily. Indeed, it is
Il nn0n record that a hiua I'm cd
twenty pounds weight of it in two days
1t is curious that even q wild hive of
bees can soon be taught to recog-
nize and refrain from attacking
people who approach them. No
wonder that the ancients esteemed them
divine; that their poet laureate, accordi
| ing to the Platonic philosophy, assigns
them ga participation in the Supreme
Mind and In heavenly influences !" and
| that another speaks Of their powers of
presaging wind and fine weather. Mod
| ern science points out that the fructify-
ing OF many flowers is due to the labors Of
In mlngling the pollen; and most gar
| preserving pure strain OF any plant
/ when these active workmen have access
| to other varieties of 1t.
Drones were anciently esteemed imper-
feet bees-the slave Of the true bee 8.
They work but little, says the great nat
/
heat they cause is useful in q hive. 1t is
now known that drones; are really the
males OF the community, the gay young
bachelors that WOO the queen when the
swarming time arrives. They have ever
served morally as an awful example TO
hold up to the young; for they never
4 think OF working, anC 1t is Questioned
whether, in the midst of plenty, they even
take the trouble to feed themselves. Ger
tain 1t Is, that working bees have fire.
quently been seen feeding them. much as
bird supplies her gaping young ones.
But notwithstanding the care taken OF
them IN time OF plenty their idleness
never fails to receive its due reward. A
suitable Nemesis always pursues them
they are, after time, thrust out of the
hive to perish of starvation, or else aetli-
ally murdered. Shingles and lazy, every
one must have seen them just before win
ter sitting torpidly on bough, OF ieebly
catching the last rays of the sun. Death
Is then already laying his hand upon
them.