Insect miscellanies / [by James Rennie].

  • Rennie, James, 1787-1867.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Insect miscellanies / [by James Rennie]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the inhabitants of a hive to be aware of a project which will not be put in execution before noon, or some hours later; otherwise, why should bees, who worked the day previous with so much activity, cease their labours in a habitation they are to quit at noon; There is a well-known anecdote of an old grenadier, who, being seen resting inactive, while his less expe- rienced comrades were busily pitching their tents. Marshal Turenne, his general, asked him why he did not bestir himself like the rest,—“ Because,” he replied, “ we shall have to march again in a few hours”—a reason which the bees, intending to emi- grate, well understand*. About the same time an unusual number of male bees may be observed on the outside of the hive, as well as a body of workers clustered together at its entrance, driven thither, it has been conjectured, in consequence of the heat of the hive, arising from the agitation among the inhabitants,—the usual spring temperature of the hive from 90° to 97° being thus augmented to 104°. This is farther increased by the heat of the sun, for a swarm is seldom, if ever, seen, except when the sun shines and the air is calm,—so much so, that if but a cloud pass before the sun, all the agitation coincident with their prepa- ration to depart is intermitted. It has even been imagined that they can foresee fine weather, though the circumstance just mentioned shows that their foresight in this respect must be very limited; be- sides, swarms are not unfrequently caught in a shower and obliged to return to the hive for shelter. Reaumur had one which set out at one o’clock and was caught in a shower at three. At the same time, it is certain that they are always feverishly alive to the state of the weather; and while ranging in the * Reaumur, Mem. v. 611. 2 c