The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-09-08
BEES WITH NO STINGS.
BUSY LITTLE HONEY aErrERs OF
HONDURAS.


This Climate Too Cold For Them
The Pigmies Among Bees->why
Stingless Bees Are I'M Demand
T HONDURAS Governor has
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the stihgless bees which are native to
Central America. II it were possible
to doniesticate them here, says the
Washington Star, there would be
great advantage in doing SO, mas
much rs the sting of the bee is the
chief obstacle I'd bee culture in the
United States: The idea of producing
bees without stings by selection in
breeding has often been suggested,
but it is not considered practicable by
scientific apiarists. The tropical in
sects reforred to are cousins to tho
true honey bees, being grouped ZOO
logically between the latter and tho
humble bees. They make excellent
honey, which, though less sweet than
that sold In Northern markets, has an
aromatic perfume and delicious flavor
of it's own. Some of it is said to be
poisonous, but it is not SO ordinarily.
OF these bees, which are very small,
there are twenty six species in Central
and South America, where they have
been kept in hives for centuries.
They belong to the genus "Meli-
ponae." TfH Hgh lacking ,tings they
possess teans of defence. They
not on. SO ahther sharply with their
jaws, like ants but they do their best
to crawl into the ears and nostrils of
anybody who attacks them. Some
species are very spiteful, but others
are comparatively notably
the ''scutellaris," which is the one
most commonly domesticated in Bra
zil. The hives employed are usually
hung from roofs and verandas. Some
times they are of earthenware, but
more often they are made of hollow
logs two or three feet long, closed at
the ends with circular plugs of woods.
When hive is judged by it's weight
to be full, the plugs are withdrawn
and the honey is removed These
bees have been kept since prehistoric
times by the natives.
Their honey Is contained not in
hexagonal cells, but in wax bags as big
as pigeons eggs. These arc hung
around the interior walls of the hive
and are usually about half full, hold
ing rs much as tho strength of the
sacks will bear. On one side of the
tree or log occupied by the bees is a
hole just big enough to admit the mem.
bers of the colony one at time. At
this hole single bee always stands
sentinel, drawing back out of the way
every time that housemate enters or
lcaves the domicile. BY marking the
sentinel it has been ascertained that
the same individual does sentry duty
for whole day. The hole in the side
OF the hive Is the entrance TO u long
winding tube, which is built of the beo
glue obtained from the buds of plants.
For any hostile insect or other foe to
make its way through this narrow and
eagerly defended passage is SO perilous
en- ,npdartakine that .exap- the hercn
Birds and lizards are the greatest
enemies of these bees, the reptilisn
robbers more particularly attacking
certain species which build their hives
underground. All that has been said
as to the habits Of the "Meliponae"
applies in the main to their near re-
latives, the "Trigonae. The latter
are not peculiar to the New World, as
are their cousins just described, but
are found also in the East Indies and
in Australia. They are much smaller,
Their name, which means 'three-cor-
nered," comes from the circumstance
that their abdomens are triangular in
shape. They have no stings, but are
strong and very active in gathering
pollen and honey, carrying remarkably
heavy loads. The workers are black,
but the queen is dark yellow and
has huge abdomen, her wing being
not strong enough to lift her into the
air when she is filled with eggs. The
honey cells, which are as big as good
sized peas, are grouped in punches.
One thing which the Governor OF
Honduras desiredto know was whether
there was any duty on bees imported
into the United States. There ID none,
because they come in under the head
of "animals for breeding purposes.
But the fatal objection to these honey
making tropical insects is that they
will not stand this climate. They can
not live in temperature below fifty
degrees Fahrenheit. In 1873 Edward
Drory, of Bordeaux, brought to
France forty hives of "Meliponae"
and "Trigonae." He kept them over
one winter by housing them in q
heated room, bnt eventually they died.
A few years ago T. F. Bingham shipped
q hive of "Meliponae" to Michigan,
but he could not winter them. In
short, these little nectar -getters can.
not be domesticated in this country.
1t has been suggested that they might
be crossed with our own honey bees
advantageously, to get rid of the sting,
but it is almost certain that they
would not breed together, inasmuch as
they belong to different genera.
On the other hand, the true honey
bees have been imported from Europe
into Central and South America,
where they flourish. They are deter.
mined and indefatigable immigrants.
As is well known, these valuable in.
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