Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-02-12
BUNDLE BEES.
rho Purpose they ssrve IN the Order Of
Nature.

Considerable numbers Of humble
bees have recently been imported
from Europe into Australia and Nav
Zealand. Hitherto growers of red
clover iE these countries have been
obliged tn obtain seed for planting
each year from England, because this
crop produced no seed, for lack Of
humble bees ia fertlise tho blossoms.
humble bees lind in red clover their
favoritc diet, and without their aid
In distributing pollen this plant would
soon perish off the face of the earth.
Finding it very expensive to import
their red clover seed annually the
farmers Of these countries decided to
import humble bees for themselves.
Accordingly lot were taken while
in the alternating stage, during cold
weather, packed in moss and carried
over the ocean in the refrigerator
compartment Of ship They were
set loose on arrival, and already they
have multiplied so numerously lid that
part of the world that it is feared
they will become a nuisance bg con
stunning all the flower juices which the
honey bees require for their own pur-
poses. 1t seems to be the same way
with every sort Of animal introduces
into Australia. Invariably the beast,
bird or insect proceeds at once TO
flourish TO such an extent as to upset
the normal balance of creation.
Bundle bees are generally supposed
to be of no particular use In the world.
1t is not their fault. They are ac.
tive and Industrious honey gatherers,
but they are never enough OF them in
one colony to make a store worth taxi
ing. When winter comes the oheen
humble bee seeks a place in the
ground for hiding safely during the
cold months. She finds such a spot
beneath moss, or perhaps in heap Of
leaves There she hibernates COM
fortably remaining fast asleep until
spring arrives. The warm sun of ap-
preaching summer awakens her and
she crawls out.
Immediately she looks about her
for nest suitable to breed in. An
old nest vacated by field mice serves
her purpose admirably. Having set
tied upon quarters, she begins col
Letting pollen from the flowers, stor-
ing 1t away in two pockets which she
carries on her hind legs Into the
nest chosen she puts the pollen and
goes for more, fetching load after
load, until she has fosmed ball of
pollen perhaps as much as an inch
in diameter In the ball of pollen
she lays her eggs, and after a few days
they are Matched, bringing forth little
worm-like larta.
Up to nearly the end Of the sum-
mer the queen lays only worker eggs
that is to say eggs which produce fe-
males which are undeveloped sexually.
They are the honey-gathering and
comb-tuilding class When autumn
is coming on, however, she produces
males-called drones. At the same
period, also, she lays eggs which give
birth to full developed females, all Of
which are destined to be queens the
following year. These females mate
with drOnes, and thus are rendered
able to reproduce their series next |
season. From six to twelve of the
future queens are turned out by each /
hive. When cold weather arrives !
they crawl into snug places, where
they hibernate during the winter
gathering pollen in the spring, and
laying their eggs in it. Thus is COM
pleted the cycle of their species Only
the queens survive, all the workers
and drones dying.
TwooI blanket immense assor,m.u, ) M ) n