Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-05-27
THE HONEY BEE.
Matters about n Very Busy BODY That
VIII Interest the Young People.

Not every one falls in love with the
honey bee: but there are few persons so
unpoetic as not to feel a deep interest
in this most wonderful creature in the
insect world. From the writings of those
who have made bee culture life study
are CLEANED a few interesting statements:
A good swarm contains 10000 bees, or six
quarts by measure, and these all have
but one mother-the queen While the
queen leaves the hive but once In ner
life-except at swarming-she Is a most
industrious mother laying in the busy
season from 1000 to 5000 eggs in "A hours.
This is more than her own weight Think
of that old biddie and be humble. These
eggs are quite small, about Il 32d Of an
inch long and look like a piece Of cotton
thread When deposited by the queen 1t
has an upright position; the second day It
reclnes somewhat, and on the third day
lies fat On the cell, having within the
germ of life. and by the fourth day has
developed into a tiny white grub. 1t is
now cared for by the nurses. these are
young and not old bees), and fed a pre-
pared food. called pap. As the larva de-
velops. more honey and polln are added
to the food given, and when the larva is
!
time the egg Is deposited by the queen,
the bees close up the cell. In IL days
thereafter this worker larva has changed
into a perfect young bee and, biting
through the cap of the cell, comes out
and takes its first full dinner Of honey.
Thus to produce a worker bee from the
egg requires q days. drone "A days
while her majesty, the queen, emerges
from the cell in l6 days, her development
being fastened by more stimulating food
royal jelly. Four days after birth the
worker bee is busy as nurse. and ir
two weeks is ready to commence WORK
as field bee
Bee life is short. only about five weeks
the queen, however, may live five years
or more. The drones, poor fellows, have
no stingS cannot gather honey, have tc
be fed, and when fall comes are cast
out of the hive to die. They are the
males The workers are dwarfed fe
males The queen is the only perfect
female in the hive; when Matched she is
virgin. and cannot be a mother of bees
until after her matrimonial flight. This
occurs about nine days after she is born
She mates with the drone while on the
wing. which may be near by, or mile
from the hive. The drone dies. single
impregnation Of the queen is effective fol
her life time. though she may lay nearly
half a million of eggs The drone has NJ
father This statement is questioned BY
biologists, but proved true by bee men
Honey cells are hexagonal in shape
combining strength and capacity, there
being about Is to the square inch Thu
combs, when managed by the bees alone
are spaced 1-l6 of an inch apart Il
give room for passage Bees filling them
: selves with honey and hanging in clus
tiers. thus generating heat, are enabled
to convert the honey into snow-whit
combs. 1t requires from nine TO 10 pound
of honey to make one pound OF wax
Just as sweet as honey" always mean
something good. Eat honey. It Is
healthful food. over 80 honey cooking re
: cipcs are now in use. For eating hone
there are many good reasons medicina
economical and others; but the one So
= ONION gives is the most persuasive
i Prov. GLIB My son, eat thou honey
because il is good"
l.. w. PEET.