Show CARRYING POWER OF BEES the insects transport twice their own on the wine an interesting note about the of bees appears in an american journal to agriculture it seems that an ordinary bee not carrying any load of pollen weighs the one five thousandth part of a pound five thousand bees thus m a pound weight when however the bee is carrying his load of pollen or honey as he returns from foraging amid the dowers his weight is increased nearly three times he carries thus about lawice his own weight a not surprising to those who have studied the muscular powers and ways of insects at large when bees are loaded it requires only eighteen eig hundred of them to make up the pound details are also given regarding the number of bees which may exist in a hive from four to five pounds weight of bees are found in an ordinary colony this paeans in figures of population some twenty to twenty five thousand individuals A big swarm it is said wilt often double this estimate talk ing of bees if any of my readers wish to indulge in a very curious and fascinating cina ting bit of zoological study they should read the story of what is called parthenogenesis in bees and other insect such as the aphides or green g reen alies of the roses and other plants for such eggs of the queen bee as are fertilized when laid turn out workers or neuters or queens while those which are not fertilized at all develop into males or drones this is very singular because fertilization of an egg or seed is regarded ordinarily as necessary for its due development |