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Iowa Honey Producers Association |
The Buzz Newsletter March 2005 |
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Which Came First? The Bee or the Egg? I discovered the following article some time back in the Brimfield News, an Illinois newspaper, while researching my family history. I believe this article was published some time in the 1890's. I hope The Buzz readers enjoy it as much as I did. Tim Laughlin, Past President
Henry Decker, of Rome, O., by repeated tests has demonstrated that a setting of eggs may be successfully hatched within an ordinary beehive as the incubator. As more than a dozen eggs can be cared for at a time it is claimed that one hive can be made to do the work of eight hens and also produce 100 pounds of honey annually. Dr. Decker, who had previously used an incubator, one day while handling a swarm of bees observed that the temperature within the hive was similar to that of his incubator. His supposition was later verified by placing a thermometer in the hive, and comparing the temperature with that of the incubator. Thereupon he placed twenty eggs in the upper section of the hive, separating them from the working apartments of the bees by a cotton cloth. Around the sides a cushion made from a quilt was placed, and over the eggs another cushion. Eighteen of the twenty eggs were hatched. - Scientific American
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