The Honey-Bee: Its Nature, Homes And Products - free ebook by William Hetherington Harris

W. H. HARRIS, B.A., B.Sc.

LONDON: THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY, 56, Paternoster Row; 65, St. Paul's Churchyard, and 164, Piccadilly. LONDON: R. Clay, Sons, and Taylor, Printers, BREAD STREET HILL....

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INTRODUCTION.

In these days of intense business-pressure, it is a good thing for men to cultivate hobbies. We say this, notwithstanding the fact that men with hobbies are likely to become bores, from thinking and talking too incessantly of their pet occupations, or are apt to run into extravagant expenditure of time and money, which could be better utilised. Now, in recommending apiculture, or bee-keeping, as a recreation from more serious pursuits, we feel that we incur little risk of increasing the number o

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CHAPTER I. HISTORIC SKETCH.

Holy Scriptures—Vedas—Egyptian Monuments—The Koran—Etymological Considerations—Literature of Subject—Aristotle—Philiscus—Pliny—Virgil—Columella—Other Classical Authors—Shakespeare—Modern Writers. Far back in historic time there are records that man had learnt the value of the bee. The book of Job—probably the oldest of our sacred Scriptures—contains a reference to honey. The Pentateuch, the Chronicles of the Israelites, the Psalms, the works of Solomon, and nearly all the later books of the Old

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CHAPTER II. NATURAL HISTORY.

Orders of Insects—Stages of Development—Egg, Larva, Pupa, Imago or Perfect Insect—Three Classes of Bees: Queen, Drones, Workers. It will be observed from the title of this book that it deals with the honey-bee. The necessity of this restriction will become immediately evident when we mention the fact that in Great Britain there are no less than twenty-seven genera and 177 species of native bees, none of which have been successfully domesticated except Apis mellifica , or the ordinary hive-bee. T

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CHAPTER III. THE QUEEN-BEE

Early Errors as to Sex—The "Mother Bee"—Distinguishing Characteristics—Functions—Attentions paid her—Effects of Loss; how Repaired by Bees—Enmity to Rivals—Length of Life—Egg-laying. One of the earliest facts ascertained in the study of bees was that there existed in each colony one individual differing considerably from all the rest in appearance and in functions. Early observers, it is true, mistook even the sex of the one so distinguished. Vergil says: And, again, Shakespeare, in the passage

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CHAPTER IV. THE DRONES.

Distinguishing Characteristics—Time of Hatching—Numbers—Purposes served by them—Destruction by Workers or other means—Unusual Survival. The drones are the male population of the bee-community. In general form they are more cylindrical than the queens or workers. They are shorter than the former, but larger and more robust than the latter. Their colour is of a deeper brown, and they are much more hairy, especially at the lower extremity. Their wings are strong, and greater in proportion to the le

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CHAPTER V. THE WORKERS.

Distinguishing Characteristics—Supposed Differences of Function among them—Sir John Lubbock's Experiments—Fertile Workers—Length of Life—"Black Bees"—Duties of Workers. The workers are by far the most numerous, and, in some sense, the most important party in the commonwealth of bees. They are smaller in size than either queens or drones. Microscopic examination, and the fact of their occasionally developing the power of laying eggs, prove that they are really undeveloped females. It is hardly co

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CHAPTER VI. HONEY.

Origin—How Collected and Stored—Constitution—Poisonous Honey—Best varieties of Honey—Distances traversed by Bees in search of Honey—Uses. Honey is mainly derived from the nectar of flowers. We say mainly, because bees are able to make use of many sweet liquids, such as the juices of ripe fruits, the substances constituting what is called "honey-dew," the syrup of sugar, and the solid material of sweetmeats. Still, by far the larger proportion of honey is derived from flowers. By means of its lon

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CHAPTER VII. MEAD.

Nature—Method of Manufacture—Metheglin and Mead—Estimation in former times—Queen Elizabeth's Recipe—Scandinavian liking for Mead. The sugar of various vegetables is susceptible of alcoholic fermentation; so from the sugar of malt we get beer, from that of the grape, wine. Honey is, as we have said, a substance containing sugar, which may also be made to yield a vinous liquor. Usually only the washings of drained combs are used up for the manufacture of mead. The saccharine extract is skimmed, st

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CHAPTER VIII. WAX.

Origin—Production—Chemical Constitution—Comb Building—Detailed Description—Amount of Wax in Hives—Commercial Value—Properties. It was long thought that wax was a product derived, like honey, immediately from flowers. Not only did popular ignorance suppose that the pellets of pollen carried on the thighs of the worker-bees consisted of this substance, but even some authors on apiculture fell into the same error. It is now ascertained with certainty that wax is a sort of animal fat, elaborated fro

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CHAPTER IX. POLLEN, OR BEE-BREAD.

Origin—Collection—Conveyance—Deposition—Quantity Stored—Uses—Artificial Substitutes. Honey consists, like most saccharine substances, of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. It is fitted, therefore, as a food to supply the waste in the body of the bee produced by respiration; but for the nourishment of muscular tissue, and so for the growth of the larvæ and pupæ, some nitrogenous material is required. This is obtained by the insects from the pollen of flowers. This substance, we need hardly say, is the

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CHAPTER X. PROPOLIS.

Derivation of Word—Sources—Nature—Purposes—Quantity Collected—Adaptation of Materials to Wants of Bees. Another substance carried in, and largely used by the bees, is an exceedingly sticky material called propolis, from two Greek words signifying "before the city," as it was observed, in early times, that it was employed in strengthening the outworks of their fortress-home, or, at least, in firmly securing the rim of their hives to their floor-boards. It was formerly a matter of considerable dis

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CHAPTER XI. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BEE.

Nervous System—The Head—Eyes—Compound and Simple—Uses and Powers—Sir John Lubbock's Experiments—The Antennæ—Structure and Uses—Mouth—Detailed Description. Before proceeding to detail the most important facts connected with the internal economy of the hive, it will be desirable to describe with some minuteness the physiology and anatomy of the inhabitants, so that it may be more easy to understand the means by which various processes are accomplished, and the most important events of the communit

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CHAPTER XII. HEARING, TASTE, AND SMELLING.

Hearing—Sir John Lubbock's Experiments—Sounds uttered by Queen—Effects produced by them—Smell-Organs—Purposes—Liking for, and Antipathy to, certain Effluvia—Discovery by Bees of Nectar and Honey With regard to the sense of hearing, Sir John Lubbock says: "The result of my experiments on the hearing of bees has surprised me very much. It is generally considered that, to a certain extent, the emotions of bees are expressed by the sounds they make, which seems to imply that they possess the power o

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CHAPTER XIII. THE THORAX.

Detailed Description—Legs—Wings—How used in Flight—Hooking together—Employed for Ventilating. The thorax of the bee is divided into three sections, or imperfect rings. Of these, that nearest the head is called the pro -thorax, the middle one the meso -thorax, and the hindmost the meta -thorax. To the first of these are attached the most forward pair of legs; to the second, another pair of legs and one pair of wings; to the third, the last pair of legs and the other pair of wings. These organs of

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CHAPTER XIV. THE ABDOMEN.

Respiratory Organs—Circulation of Nutritive Fluid—Digestion and Nutrition—Secretion of Wax—Reproductive Organs—Detailed description of Sting—Effects of Poison—Queen's Sting. The abdomen constitutes the largest and hindmost segment of the body, and is important as containing several structures which have most essential functions in the economy of the insect. Among these are the chief parts of the respiratory apparatus, the digestive, the wax-making, the reproductive, and stinging organs. First, i

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CHAPTER XV. THE DISEASES OF BEES.

Dysentery: How Produced—Indications—Treatment. Foul-Brood: two kinds—Nature—Propagation. Mr. Cheshire's Discoveries and Treatment—Fatal Effects of Disease—Detection—Vertigo—Analogy of Human and Bee Diseases. How far the diseases of domesticated animals are due to the conditions to which they are subjected by man, and which are always, to some extent, contrary to the natural mode of life of the creatures, we are at present unable to say. We can, however, point with some certainty to cases in whic

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CHAPTER XVI. THE ENEMIES OF BEES.

Birds—Mice—Moths— Braula cœca —Hornets and Wasps—Spiders—Toads—"Robber Bees"—Prevention of robbing. It might well be imagined that creatures armed with such deadly weapons as bees, would have few enemies who would dare to contend with them. The fact is, however, that they are exposed to dangers from numerous sources. Various kinds of wild birds, domestic fowls, mice, certain species of moths, hornets, wasps, ants, spiders and toads, are more or less destructive to them. Among the common birds fo

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CHAPTER XVII. HIVES.

Natural Abodes of Wild Bees—Taking Honey from Roof of House—Straw Skeps—Cottager's Hive—Supering—Nutt's Collateral Hive—Village Hive—Woodbury Hive—Abbott's Hives—Sectional Supering—Stewarton Hive—Carr-Stewarton Hive—Observatory Hives—Bee-houses. In a state of nature bees avail themselves of hollow trees, crevices in rocks, or other cavities of various kinds. Swarms escaped from apiaries will frequently find an entrance to the space between the roof and upper ceilings of houses, and extraordinary

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CHAPTER XVIII. NATURAL SWARMING.

General Facts connected with Swarming—Reconnoitring—Settling—Hiving—Curious Incidents—Transferring Swarms to Bar-Frame Hives—Division of Swarms—Placing Swarm in Permanent Position-Number of Bees in Swarming—"Casts" and Later Swarms—Prevention of Swarming—Feeding of Swarms. The facts detailed up to this point will enable the subject of swarming both natural and artificial to be understood very clearly, and we will now speak of this most important matter in its various bearings. Firstly, it must b

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CHAPTER XIX. ARTIFICIAL SWARMING.

Advantages—Driving: Close and Open—Transfer to Bar-Frame Hive—Conditions of Successful Driving—Various Methods of Artificial Swarming with Bar-Frame Hives. There are some mortifying incidents connected with natural swarming, which the skilled apiarian will endeavour to avoid, by taking the matter of the making of colonies into his own hands. We have spoken already of the annoyance and trouble often caused by the flying away of a swarm. This accident at the beginning of the honey-season means, at

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CHAPTER XX. QUEEN REARING.

Protection of Queen-cells—Nucleus Hives—Various Methods of Queen Rearing—American Plan—Introduction of Stranger Queens—Difficulties. The breeding of queens can only be done with ease and complete success in bar-frame hives. If, on examination of the frames of a stock, queen-cells with brood in them are found, these may be protected by means of little wire cages from the animosity of the mother-bee, and in due course the princesses, as they hatch out, may be transferred to a small box, with a pie

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CHAPTER XXI. FEEDING.

Troughs—Dangers of this Method—Bottle Feeders—Cheshire's Feeding Stage—Neighbour's Can Feeder—The "Round Feeder"—Autumn Feeding—Spring Feeding—Uses of Precautions—Summer Feeding of Swarms—Flour-cake—Barley-sugar or Sugar-cake—Mr. Hunter's Recipe. We have already spoken of the advantages consequent on feeding swarms for a few days after they emerge, especially if the weather should be wet, cold, or dull. It is even more important to see that in spring and autumn, if the stocks require food, it is

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CHAPTER XXII. WINTERING BEES.

False and True Hybernation—Temperature of Hive in Winter—Necessity for Quiet during Winter—Structure and Winter-packing of Bar-Frame Hives—Prevention of Draught and Condensation of Vapour—Supply of Water. The honey-bee differs from nearly all the wild varieties, as well as from hornets and wasps, in being adapted to live always in societies. Most other insects of the hymenopterous order become torpid in winter, or perish, with the exception of some queens, who survive to continue the race. Those

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CHAPTER XXIII. BEE-STINGS.

Gentleness necessary in Manipulation—Causes of Irritation of Bees—Examination of Stocks—Treatment of Stings—Remedies—Effects of Stings—Inoculation—Bee Dress—Smoke and its Uses. There are some personal requisites, in addition to what is called "bee-dress," if immunity from attack is to be secured. The first of these are, calmness and self-control. Many persons become so much alarmed by a single bee buzzing about them, that they begin fighting and buffeting the insect, with the idea of driving it

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CHAPTER XXIV. PASSIONS AND EMOTIONS OF BEES.

Affection for Queen and Brood—Recognition of Friends and Strangers—Fear—Anger—Covetousness—Benevolence—Remorse—Hope—Instinctive or Sense-action. Certain difficulties surround the question of the emotions exhibited by the lower orders of animals; since it is easy for imagination, or, at least, the interpretative faculty of observers, to lend so special a colouring to actions, that the significance given to appearances will vary exceedingly, according to the subjectivity of the individual recordin

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CHAPTER XXV. INTELLECT AND INSTINCT IN BEES.

Intellect in Man and Animals as Related to Immortality—Memory—Judgment—Instances of Attention—Prevision—Provision—Instinct—Manifestations—Bearing on Evolution. There has been a singular unwillingness on the part of many religious writers to acknowledge among animals inferior to man the possession of true intellectual faculties. This has arisen, partly from the desire to keep man on a pedestal immensely exalted above the rest of the creatures more or less allied to him, and partly from the fear t

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CHAPTER XXVI. BEES IN RELATION TO FLOWERS.

Connection of Plant-life and Insect-life—Reproduction of Flowers—Intervention of Insects—Hermaphrodite Flowers—Cross-fertilisation—Cucumbers, Melons, &amp;c.—Poplars—Firs—Epilobium or Willow Herb—Cincerarias—Darwin's Experiments—Nasturtium—Foxglove—Figwort—Salvia—Heath—Strawberry, Raspberry, and Blackberry—Apple and Pear—Altruism of Bees. The connection between insects and the plant-world, and the mutual benefits they render, have long been known to man. While the one kingdom is almost entir

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CHAPTER XXVII. SUPERSTITIONS CONNECTED WITH BEES.

Superstitions likely to gather around Bees—Unlucky to Buy Bees—Ill Omen for a Swarm to Settle on a Dry Stick—"Have the Bees been told?"—Turning Hives on the Death of the Owner—Probable Origin of these Errors. On a priori grounds it is only to be expected that various superstitions would arise at different times and in various countries with regard to bees. Insects displaying such marvellous instincts, such apparent adaptation of means to ends, such indications of reasoning and special intelligen

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CHAPTER XXVIII. THE PROFITS OF BEE-KEEPING.

Methods of Honey-taking—Straw Caps—Bell-Glasses—Sections—Frames—Extractors—Run Honey—Average Returns of Hives. In our introduction, reference was made to the money-returns likely to be derived from bee-keeping by persons of ordinary good sense, who learn to manage their hives according to modern methods. Some few facts relating to this point may be advantageously added. With the different straw-skeps in use, three methods of honey-taking may be adopted, without killing the bees. Among cottagers

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