Curiosities & wonders > New observations on the natural history of bees

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ORIGIN OF WAX.
other immediately imparts what it has col-i
lected to its companions : its abdomen under-:
goes no sensible change; or it retains only
the honey necessary for its own subsistence.
The particular function of the bees of this!
kind is to take care of the young, for they
are not charged with provisioning the hive.
In opposition to the wax workers, we shall
call them small bees or nurses.
Although the external difference be in¬
considerable, this is not an imaginary dis¬
tinction. Anatomical observations prove
that the capacity of the stomach is not the
same: Experiments have ascertained that
one of the species cannot fulfil all the func¬
tions shared among the workers of a hive.
We painted those of each class with differ¬
ent colours, in order to study their proceed¬
ings ; and these were not interchanged. In
another experiment, after supplying a hive
deprived of a queen with brood and pollen,
we saw the small bees quickly occupied in
nutrition of the larva;, while those of the
wax working class neglected them.
When hives are full of combs, the wax
workers disgorge their honey into the ordi¬
nary magazines, making no wax: but if
they want a reservoir for its reception, and