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Wild Life in Woods and Fields by Arabella B. Buckley, THE HUMBLE BEE'S NEST

THE HUMBLE BEE'S NEST

LAST March, when the days began to be warm, we saw a big Humble Bee, or Bumble Bee, as the little ones call it, buzzing along across the field.

"Look out, Peter," said Peggy; "that is a mother humble bee, who has been asleep all the winter. She must be making a nest." So Peter followed her. She flew to a bank, and went in among some tufts of grass. Peter put a large stick there and we went to see her every day.

We used to find her dragging in little pieces of moss. But we did not look in, for fear she should go away. After a fortnight Paul said we might look, and, hidden in the grass, we found a small round patch of moss lined with bees-wax. It was like a tiny saucer turned upside down. We lifted it up and found under it a few round flat pockets, some as big as a halfpenny, some not larger than a farthing. They were made of brown, sticky wax, and when we opened one we found inside seven tiny eggs, as small as poppy seeds, and some little brown balls. The balls, Paul said, were made of honey, and of the yellow dust from flowers. In another pocket we found grubs which had already been hatched from eggs. These were feeding on the brown balls near them.

The mother bee was very uneasy while we were looking at her nest. She sat down quite near. We could see how big and stout she was. She was so handsome. Her brown body was covered with soft yellow hairs, with stripes of black hairs between. Her wings were broad, and shone so brightly in the sun. She did not sting us. Paul says that humble bees are very gentle. But she was afraid we would hurt the grubs, which were going to grow up into working bees. We put the cover back and waited two months. Then it was June. We were afraid the horses might tread on the nest when the hay was cut. So we went to look at it.

Oh! How big it was now. There was a large round moss roof. It was lined with wax, and was so strong that we had to cut it with a knife. The only way for the bees to get into it was by a long tunnel just under the ground. Under the roof were a number of dirty yellow silk cocoons. In these were the grubs, growing into humble bees. The cocoons were stuck together with wax. Some of them were open, for the young bees had come out. These had honey in them.

There were a great many humble bees going in and out. These had all come from eggs laid by the mother bee in two months. They were very busy bringing in honey and bee-bread for the grubs to eat. But Paul says they do not store honey, like our hive-bees. For when the cold damp weather comes, they all die, except a few mothers. These creep into holes in the trees or into a warm haystack, and sleep till the spring comes again.

About Christmas time we went to look at the nest. The roof was broken, and the cells all crushed. There was not one humble bee to be found.


THE HUMBLE BEE'S NEST EL HUMILDE NIDO DE ABEJAS 卑微的蜂巢

LAST March, when the days began to be warm, we saw a big Humble Bee, or Bumble Bee, as the little ones call it, buzzing along across the field. 去年三月,当天气开始变暖时,我们看到一只大黄蜂,或者小蜜蜂叫它大黄蜂,嗡嗡地穿过田野。

"Look out, Peter," said Peggy; "that is a mother humble bee, who has been asleep all the winter. She must be making a nest." So Peter followed her. She flew to a bank, and went in among some tufts of grass. 她飞到一家银行,走进几丛草丛中。 Peter put a large stick there and we went to see her every day.

We used to find her dragging in little pieces of moss. 我们过去常常发现她拖着小片苔藓。 But we did not look in, for fear she should go away. After a fortnight Paul said we might look, and, hidden in the grass, we found a small round patch of moss lined with bees-wax. 两周后,保罗说我们可以看看,然后,我们在草丛中发现了一小块圆形的苔藓,上面覆盖着蜂蜡。 It was like a tiny saucer turned upside down. 这就像一个颠倒的小碟子。 We lifted it up and found under it a few round flat pockets, some as big as a halfpenny, some not larger than a farthing. 我们把它举起来,在它下面发现了几个圆形的平口袋,有的有半便士那么大,有的还不到一分钱。 They were made of brown, sticky wax, and when we opened one we found inside seven tiny eggs, as small as poppy seeds, and some little brown balls. 它们是用棕色的粘性蜡制成的,当我们打开一个时,我们发现里面有七个小鸡蛋,像罂粟籽一样小,还有一些棕色的小球。 The balls, Paul said, were made of honey, and of the yellow dust from flowers. 保罗说,这些球是用蜂蜜和花朵上的黄色灰尘制成的。 In another pocket we found grubs which had already been hatched from eggs. 在另一个口袋里,我们发现了已经从卵中孵化出来的蛆虫。 These were feeding on the brown balls near them.

The mother bee was very uneasy while we were looking at her nest. She sat down quite near. We could see how big and stout she was. 我们可以看到她是多么的高大和粗壮。 She was so handsome. Her brown body was covered with soft yellow hairs, with stripes of black hairs between. 她棕色的身体上覆盖着柔软的黄色毛发,中间夹着黑色的条纹。 Her wings were broad, and shone so brightly in the sun. 她的翅膀很宽,在阳光下闪闪发光。 She did not sting us. 她没有刺痛我们。 Paul says that humble bees are very gentle. 保罗说谦卑的蜜蜂非常温和。 But she was afraid we would hurt the grubs, which were going to grow up into working bees. We put the cover back and waited two months. Then it was June. We were afraid the horses might tread on the nest when the hay was cut. 我们担心割草时马会踩到窝。 So we went to look at it.

Oh! How big it was now. There was a large round moss roof. It was lined with wax, and was so strong that we had to cut it with a knife. 它衬有蜡,非常坚固,我们不得不用刀将它切开。 The only way for the bees to get into it was by a long tunnel just under the ground. Under the roof were a number of dirty yellow silk cocoons. In these were the grubs, growing into humble bees. The cocoons were stuck together with wax. 茧用蜡粘在一起。 Some of them were open, for the young bees had come out. These had honey in them.

There were a great many humble bees going in and out. These had all come from eggs laid by the mother bee in two months. They were very busy bringing in honey and bee-bread for the grubs to eat. But Paul says they do not store honey, like our hive-bees. For when the cold damp weather comes, they all die, except a few mothers. These creep into holes in the trees or into a warm haystack, and sleep till the spring comes again. 它们爬进树洞或温暖的干草堆,一直睡到春天再来。

About Christmas time we went to look at the nest. The roof was broken, and the cells all crushed. There was not one humble bee to be found.