A theatre of politicall flying-insects. Wherein especially the nature, the worth, the work, the wonder, and the manner of right-ordering of the bee, is discovered and described / Together with discourses, historical, and observations physical concerning them. And in a second part are annexed meditations, and observations theological and moral, in three centuries upon that subject. By Samuel Purchase.

Samuel Purchas

Date:: 1657

Credit: A theatre of politicall flying-insects. Wherein especially the nature, the worth, the work, the wonder, and the manner of right-ordering of the bee, is discovered and described / Together with discourses, historical, and observations physical concerning them. And in a second part are annexed meditations, and observations theological and moral, in three centuries upon that subject. By Samuel Purchase. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$.•30 Hefickius; M\hnMh< J# cip «X2» Pcdmfkia Je axiomat Pbjlofr pb. & Cam jprat. *n bonum uni- verfalc dc ap]- feuij'lb.x. c.i9. A Theatre of Political Flying infersl they intend to fwarm no more, they kill all the Royal ilfue then in bejng (nay although they bee imperfeft embriocs) to prevent a future diftra&ion. Before the Bees fwarm, the Queen Bee by a peculiar and diHintS \oycc [Heftcbius calls it £iyyov, which wee in Enghfh fay Sing, for it is performed in a muiicai manner) fome dayes before makes it known throughout all the Hive , that all may bee ready. 1 Ridiculous is the conceit of Vidimus to pull off the extre* mines of the Queen Bees wings, that they may not flye away, for fometimes for recreation, and alfo for evacuation of their bodies, they u!e to go forth • and if their wings were cut would bee difabled to return. 1 once had a good fwarm likely to milcarry , the Queen Bees wings,being accidentally torn, lb that going out of the Hive, mee fell oelides the ftool, and could not get up again. .And al¬ though once and again finding her before the Hive, I put her into it, yet afterwards fhee went forth, and was loft. And al- ffloft ah the Bees (in her lofs) neglefled their work, and began to pine away? until! I furmfhed them with a new Com¬ mander, The Queen Bee never voluntarily deferts her fubjefts , as fALlitn and others intimate, affirming that the Bees diligently leekher out, and return her when fhee bath fled away. ° Oftentimes when a fwarm goeth forth, the young Com¬ mander being weak, is not able to follow, but falls down, fome¬ times befides the ftoof, orfomecimcs furthered, with whom lome of the company will ftay (fuch as being near her faw her taiiy and enccmpafling her round will continue with her, except ie bee taken up,and conveyed to the fwarm or hive, uncill thev Self L°SCCher' The BeCS finde not thcir leader by the Many are confident that the Queen Bee never eoetb off the hive , but with a fwarm. Camipratoms afTerts chis, but for- faX'tlv wuhtwcf thChTerj hccfaith’Jf jtctsDce weary with working, and cannot, or wander and now not the way home again j the Queen Bee goes forth and findes them by tbeir fmell, and reli„« them, a„|cD„dS tscii] to the hive; but this is mo« ftbulcut than tbe.fotmfr! '■ • It$

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