Chapter I: Front Matter

THE “SHOWN TO THE
CHILDREN” SERIES

1. BEASTS

With 48 Coloured Plates by PERCY J. BILLINGHURST. Letterpress by LENA
DALKEITH.

2. FLOWERS

With 48 Coloured Plates showing 150 flowers, by JANET HARVEY KELMAN.
Letterpress by C. E. SMITH.

3. BIRDS

With 48 Coloured Plates by M. K. C. SCOTT. Letterpress by J. A.
HENDERSON.

4. THE SEA-SHORE

With 48 Coloured Plates by JANET HARVEY KELMAN. Letterpress by Rev.
THEODORE WOOD.

5. THE FARM

With 48 Coloured Plates by F. M. B. and A. H. BLAIKIE. Letterpress by
FOSTER MEADOW.

6. TREES

With 32 Coloured Plates by JANET HARVEY KELMAN. Letterpress by C. E.
SMITH.

7. NESTS AND EGGS

With 48 Coloured Plates by A. H. BLAIKIE. Letterpress by J. A.
HENDERSON.

8. BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS

With 48 Coloured Plates by JANET HARVEY KELMAN. Letterpress by Rev.
THEODORE WOOD.

9. STARS

By ELLISON HAWKS.

10. GARDENS

With 32 Coloured Plates by J. H. KELMAN. Letterpress by J. A.
HENDERSON.

11. BEES

By ELLISON HAWKS. Illustrated in Colour and Black and White.

THE “SHOWN TO THE CHILDREN” SERIES
EDITED BY LOUEY CHISHOLM

BEES

BEES
SHOWN TO THE CHILDREN

BY
ELLISON HAWKS

Member of the British Bee Keepers’ Association, etc., etc.
Author of “Stars”

ILLUSTRATED

LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK
NEW YORK: THE PLATT & PECK CO.

TO
MY TWO LITTLE FRIENDS
ANNIE AND KATIE
THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Dear Annie and Katie,--When I was a little boy I often wished that my soldiers would come to life. I used to think how grand it would be if only I could have a city of little people on the dining-room table. Of course my dreams never came true, even though one day I had a brilliant idea, and wrapped a whole regiment of soldiers in flannel and put them in the oven, hoping that in this way I should find them really alive next morning!

But nowadays I have a wonderful city of tiny workers, that can be put on a table. In it there are soldiers, food gatherers, bread-makers, undertakers, and a host of others. It is ruled over by a queen, and each day the gates of the city are crowded with the workers, who pass in and out in hundreds.

Have you guessed that my wonderful city is really a bee-hive? Although I cannot command my little friends to do this thing or that, to come here or go there, yet I am quite content to leave them to their own ways, and just to watch them in their daily life, and to study their customs and laws.

In this little book I intend to tell you something about my bees. I hope that you will be interested to read what I have written, and then perhaps, later on, when you grow up, you may keep bees, and you will be able to study their wonderful ways for yourselves.

I am sure you will join me in giving our best thanks to my friends who have so kindly helped me in the preparation of some of the pictures: to Mr. W. Barker, Mr. D. Ingham, Mr. H. Mackie, Mr. G. W. Stephenson; and to Mr. J. Lambert for permission to use Plates Nos. XIV., XV., XXVII., XXIX. and XXX.

My thanks are due also to Mr. W. H. McCormick for his kindness in reading over the proofs.

Yours truly,

ELLISON HAWKS.

10 GRANGE TERRACE,
LEEDS, 1912.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. ABOUT THE BEE 1

II. THE QUEEN BEE 3

III. THE DRONE 5

IV. THE WORKER BEE 7

V. THE MICROSCOPE 8

VI. THE HEAD 10

VII. THE WONDERFUL ANTENNÆ 12

VIII. THE EYES 16

IX. THE TONGUE AND MOUTH PARTS 20

X. THE JAWS 23

XI. THE THORAX 25

XII. THE LEGS 27

XIII. THE FIRST PAIR OF LEGS 29

XIV. THE SECOND AND THIRD PAIR OF LEGS 31

XV. THE WINGS 33

XVI. THE ABDOMEN 36

XVII. THE BREATHING APPARATUS 39

XVIII. THE STING 41

XIX. THE ANCIENTS AND BEES 44

XX. THE HIVE 49

XXI. A VISIT TO A HIVE 52

XXII. THE CITY GATE 54

XXIII. THE GUARD BEES 58

XXIV. WORKERS IN THE CITY 60

XXV. THE COMB BUILDERS 63

XXVI. THE LIFE OF THE BEE 68

XXVII. THE STORY OF THE QUEEN 72

XXVIII. THE POLLEN GATHERERS 74

XXIX. THE VARNISH MAKERS 77

XXX. THE NECTAR GATHERERS 79

XXXI. THE WINTER SLEEP 82

XXXII. THE SWARM 84

XXXIII. TAKING THE SWARM 87

XXXIV. THE OLD HIVE AFTER A SWARM 89

XXXV. THE MASSACRE OF THE DRONES 91

XXXVI. HONEY 93

XXXVII. MODERN BEE-KEEPING 96

XXXVIII. THE BEES’ ENEMIES 99

XXXIX. POWERS OF COMMUNICATION 101

XL. BEE FLOWERS 104

XLI. POLLEN 107

XLII. BEES AND FLOWERS 110

XLIII. HOW FLOWERS PROTECT THEIR NECTAR 113

XLIV. HOW FLOWERS ARE FERTILISED 115

XLV. CONCLUSION 118

From a photograph by] [E. Hawks

Drone Queen Worker

The Three Kinds of Bees]

BEES