時差N小時:免于蜂刺(上) Get beyond the stinger

Unless you're an entomologist or a beekeeper, beestypically inspire one thing: fear.

除非你是昆蟲學(xué)者或養(yǎng)蜂人，否則一提到蜜蜂，映入腦中的首先可能是可怕。

But most bees are non-aggressive, and only stingwhen provoked.

但是，大多數(shù)的蜜蜂并不具備攻擊性，而蜜蜂蜇人是萬不得而為之!

In fact, once you get beyond the stinger, bees arepretty fascinating.

事實(shí)上，一旦你跨越了蜜蜂蜇人這道屏障，你會發(fā)現(xiàn)它們有著令人著迷的魔力。

For example, honeybees are great builders.

比如蜜蜂是偉大的建筑師。

Beehive construction begins withfinding a suitable site.

蜂巢建造首先從尋覓合適的搭建處開始。

Scout bees seek hollow spaces in trees and human-made structures.

偵察蜂在樹木和人造結(jié)構(gòu)尋找中空的空間。

Such spaces must be able to hold at least six and a half gallons, and have a small entrance thatfaces south for warmth.

這樣的空間須得至少6.5加侖的空間，而且入口面朝溫暖的南方。

Once they've found the perfect spot, the scouts prepare the site by clearing away loose wood orother rubbish and coat the space with a dried tree resin called propolis.

一旦找到絕佳的建造蜂巢點(diǎn)，偵察蜂會做好準(zhǔn)備工作：清理掉松動的木材或其它雜物，在表層涂上被稱為蜂膠的干樹脂。