The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1908-08-06
POISONED HONEY.
Why u 10 That the Queen Bee osts
None OF II.

The safeguards provided against
the administration Of poison to the
despotic oriental rulers are rudimen-
tary compared with thosv which stand
between queens OF the honeybee and
such a risk. Curiously enough, this
Is a phase OF the internal economy Of
the beehive which appears to have es-
capped observation.
I'm the British isles" says the Sci.
sntihc American, mo poisonous honey
is collected. II II exists the bees have
learned 10 avoid u. Probably there II
none, as the honey from at least one
dangerous plant, the deadly night
shade, is harmless. Ivy honey would
be the most suspicious Of any gathered
on large scale, and Il only exerts,
so far as observation goes, a slightly
laxative effect on the digestive organs.
Although in this country no poisonous
honey is known, II Is met with In 9th.
er places, notably In Asiatic Turkey.
II was In this region that Xenophons
soldiers were poisoned 1900 years ago
by honey from the Azelia pontica, a
plant which still fourishes In Ar.
menia. Some centuries later a Roman
army suffered similarly, but less Sc
verely, there being no deaths.
"The precaution OF compelling the
cook TO eat a portion OF every dish,
which Is the usual safeguard of des-
potic rulers, or the still more print
tive plan OF giving the nrst helping to
a little dog. can be eluded by clever
Borgia by having only one-half OF a
bird or pastry poisoned. In a wasp's
nest each forager on returning pro-
ceeds directly 10 the queen and offers
refreshment Consequently the queen
is sometimes destroyed by slowly act,
ing poison. Further as regards wasps.
II is observed that when any larvae
receiving food they become restless. IL
nearly grown they wag their heads In
suggestive way. which plainly con-
veys a demand for share. Each for
ager after feeding the queen gives the
balance Of his load direct 10 the
nurses.
in the case Of the honeybee one
possible reason why no virulently poi
sonous honey reaches the hive may
be that the insect foolish enough to
collect any would probably die, as the
so-called honey-sack is really a stom-
ach in which a preliminary digestive
process proceeds. This 10 proved by
the polariscope, which shows that.
while the nectar OF the flowers is pure
cane sugar, or levulose, the substance
in the hive cells Is saccharimetrically
half dextrose and half cane sugar.
Dextrose Is invert sugar. q coarse va
riety OF which 10 the glucose Of com
merce Forager bees returning to the
beehive place the half digested prod
uct known as honey in their storeroom
with other honey. This mixing would
have the effect Of alternating q
poisoned load should such be brought
Into the hive.
"Foraging bees never feed the queen
Tor young larvae, but they give
mouthful or two to drones in passing.
Just before sealing for the metamor-
phosls workers and drones are fed
with honey mixed with pollen. Not so
the young queens who only get fur.
Their supply of the redigested milky
substance known as chyle, which is
the sustenance OF all larvae indis-
criminately during the FIRST three days
OF their existence. During the chry-
sails stage there is no feeding. II 10
the business OF n gang. distinct for
the time being. TO cater for the queen
and young. They bring the food from
the stores and submit II TO the diges-
tive process referred to. after which
II Is regurgitated TO supply the needs
OF the queen and young larvae. The
attendants are numerous, and each
supplies only a minute quantity. The
queen bee is so constituted that her d.
gestive system is capable of assimi-
lating only the prepared food OF chyle.
She win die in a few hours on q
comb containing honey. although kept
at the temperature of the hive.
THUS II would appear that the safe
guards are: First. bee collecting poi
sonous honey would probably die be-
fore reaching the hive; second. that
II one succeeded In depositing poi
soned honey. the circumstance that II
did so would prove the poison to be
not yirulent. and It's mixture with 9TH
err honey in the storeroom would still
further alternate the poison and rem
der II harmless. This is the stage at
which the product becomes human
food. II has. as stated ADORE. occurred
that poisoned honey has passed both
these lines of defense; third, that
should the honey be still deleterious
the alimentary attendants OF the queen
would first suffer, and only those
bringing wholesome food would reach
her, as struggle for the privilege OF
feeding her majesty is continually in
progress: fourth. that should the
stores pass the three safeguards be-
tore mentioned there is still another.
viz, that each one of the queens at
tendants feeds her only for a second
At a time, and thus she would never
/ Vat m a,tffioiant quantity IN afTQCt har