Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-05-27
BEES-HOW THEY LIVE
AND WHAT THEY DO.
Sketch Of The Life In An Apiary
By Mr.. John G. Wood. Of
Eastport.

is written for the Capital by Mr.. John
G Wood. of Eastport, near Annapo-
lis. who owns a large apiary and
knows whereof he writes:
A short time ago. you published in
your interesting evening paper an &C
count of the capture by me of a swarm
of bees in the city park.
AS l have had so many to speak to
me who seem TO be interested, l de-
cided to write this article for the bene-
fit of those who know so little about
these bees, the most wonderful of all
little creatures.
1t has been computed that in OR
world the different species of living
animals number over quarter of
million. Among this vast course of
life we find not only much food for
thought and meditation, but for in
structive lessons none can rival the
marvellous transformations that in
sect life undergoes in its process of
development
The repulsive maggot of today may
tomorrow be theactive little fly, visit
ing the leaf and flower, in merry and
sportive mood; the repugnant cater
pillar of today, may tomorrow be
decked with its speedy transformation
TO the butterfly, of brilliant tints and
gorgeous beauty,
This is not whit more wonderful
than are the transformation from the
egg the tiny larva, from the lavre
to the pupa, and from the pupa to the
fully developed honey bee, with its
wonderful instincts and marvellous
habits. One never ceases to wonder
and admire, as he turns over leaf af
ter leaf of the book of nature, devoted
TO this interesting insect. Indeed,
there is a fascination about the apiary
that is truly indescribable; every sci
entific beekeeper is an enthusiast
The wonderful economy of the bee
hive, from its very nature presents
to the thoughtful, both admiration
and delight at eevry step.
A single bee, with all its industry,
energy, and the innumerable Journeys
it performs, may collect only about
teaspoonful of honey, during one sea-
son, and yet l have taken more than
form one hive. We might take les
son from this fact of what great re-
suits may arise from preserving and
associated labor
In fructifying the flowers, too, bees
present us with field of study, many
plants absolutely require the visits of
bees or other insects to remove their
htru
them. Hence, Darwin wisely remarks
when speaking of clover and hearts
ease mo bees, no seed. no seed, no in
crease of the flower; the more visits
from the bees, the more seeds from
the flower, the more flowers from the
seed" Darwin mentions the following
experimet:
Twenty heads of white clover, Wis
tied by the bees, produced 1920 seed;
while twenty heads so protected that
bees could not visit them, produced
not one seed"
This is infinite wisdom displayed by
nature on every hand, nothing is
created in vain; each has it's proper
sphere, and each his work TO perform
I admire the grand harmony of de-
sign, and worship Him in whose like
ess man was formed.
There are two kinds of bees "soli-
tary bees" and social bees" those
that live in colonies and communities,
There are many species of each, but
as | have started out, wish to speak
only of social bees" those known as
honey makers.
There are three classes in a col
ony- namely, the queen bee or true
female. the drones, and the workers,
or more correctly undeveloped fe-
males. Each worker bee is function
ally the same as a queen bee except
that her tongue, mouth, parts, pollen
gathering bristles on the legs, and
stings is more more fully developed,
TAIN the same organs of the only true
female, known as the queen"
A colony of bees may contain any
where from $4,000 to 100000 individ-
uals, though the average good colony
will run from $4,000 OTTO $4,000 work
ers, during the winter this number
will be reduced, as nature apparent
ly goes on the assumption that it is
wise not to produce a lot of unnec-
| essary consumers for winter The du-
ties of the worker bees are quite va
| ried, primarily their business is to
gatehr nectar or honey God in His
Wise Providence, made these little
| creatures, in order that this precious
| fluid would not be lost, but in reality
bees gather nectar. By some mechan-
ical process which no one seems to
understand fully changes the nectar
| or sucrose, into inverted sugar or
honey, hence they gather nectar and
| actually make honey
The bees also gather pollen from
the flowers and store it in combs as
they store honey. The pollen is used
| for making a milky-white fluid into
! which enters honey to feed the larvae.
| This food is like thin condensed milk,
as the larvae developes this same
food or pap is made richer and
stronger.
Bees also gather kind of glue for
making up what we call bee glue or
pTopclis, this is used to seal up cracks
that might let cold air into the hive.
Work bees fall in two divisions.
From the time the young bee is hatch
ed up to the eighth day, it performs
hn dn4faC ~ fal- Of ha x-osyr