Word: hives
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Gardens-where children, lovers and park bench sages still hold pre-eminence over visiting statesmen-stands a large, Government-owned bee colony. Its keeper, a white-bearded octogenarian named Ernest Baudu, lectures any stray stroller who will listen on the facts of life, both apiarian and human. "Within each hive all bees are devoted to each other. But when a tired bee drops into a foreign hive," he sighs, "he is immediately asked for his passport. Often, in times of scarcity, a group of bees swoops on a richer hive. War ensues. Always it is the law of numbers...
...knows the signs. When a foraging worker returns to the hive laden with pollen or nectar, she executes a stylized dance proclaiming her success. Fellow workers, by smelling the dancing bee, can tell at once what kind of flower she has been playing around with. Off they zoom hopefully, searching for like-smelling flowers...
...current Entomological News, Dr. Rudolf G. Schmieder of the University of Pennsylvania told how science has learned these signs and put them to use. First to interpret the bee law of dance and scent was Professor Karl von Frisch of the University of Munich. Near a hive he placed a square of cardboard perfumed with bergamot oil, and on it a dish full of sugar syrup. Fifty yards away he arranged a row of cards. None offered syrup, but each had a different scent. One was oil of bergamot...
...professor fed twelve bees on the bergamot-scented syrup. They returned to the hive and danced their dance. Within an hour, 216 bees paid calls on the sugarless, bergamot-scented card...
Occasionally bees are obstinate. Then the keeper selects a hive containing many adolescent, more adaptable bees. At that age, they can always...