Behavior of the Honey Bee in Pollen Collecting, The

<h2><SPAN name="ACTION_OF_THE_FORELEGS_AND_MOUTHPARTS" id="ACTION_OF_THE_FORELEGS_AND_MOUTHPARTS"></SPAN>ACTION OF THE FORELEGS AND MOUTHPARTS.</h2> <p>Although the pollen of some plants appears to be somewhat sticky, it may be stated that as a general rule pollen can not be successfully manipulated and packed in the baskets without the addition of some fluid substance, preferably a fluid which will cause the grains to cohere. This fluid, the nature of which will be considered later, comes from the mouth of the bee, and is added to the pollen which is collected by the mouthparts and to that which is brought into contact with the protruding tongue and maxill�, and, as will appear, this fluid also becomes more generally distributed upon the legs and upon the ventral surface of the collecting bee.</p> <p>When a bee is collecting from the flowers of corn the mandibles are actively engaged in seizing, biting, and scraping the anthers as the bee crawls over the pendent stamens. Usually, but not always, the tongue is protruded and wipes over the stamens, collecting pollen and moistening the grains thus secured. Some of the pollen may possibly be taken into the mouth. All of the pollen which comes in contact with the mouthparts is thoroughly moistened, receiving more fluid than is necessary for rendering the grains cohesive. This exceedingly wet pollen is removed from the mouthparts by the forelegs (<SPAN href="#fig5">fig. 5</SPAN>), and probably the middle legs also secure a little of it directly, since they sometimes brush over the lower surface of the face and the mouth. In addition to removing the very moist pollen from the mouth the forelegs also execute cleansing movements over the sides of the head and neck and the anterior region of the thorax, thereby collecting upon their brushes a considerable amount of pollen which has fallen directly upon these regions, and this is added to the pollen moistened from the mouth, thereby becoming moist by contact. The brushes of the forelegs also come in contact with the anterior breast region, and the hairs which cover this area become moist with the sticky exudation which the forelegs have acquired in the process of wiping pollen from the tongue, maxill�, and mandibles.</p> <p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_14" id="Page_14"></SPAN></span></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />