THE EVOLUTION OF THE BEE AND THE BEEHIVE 



end of two days. A further distinction is that the honey-bee 

 collects either nectar or pollen, but not both on one journey; 

 and the pollen is usually uniform in colour, which indicates 

 that it has been collected from one species of plants; but 

 the bumble-bee during one flight brings back both nectar 

 and pollen to the nest, and the pollen is obtained from dif- 



FiG. 15. — Comb of a bumble-bee, showing two honey- 

 pots full of honey and two old cocoons stored with pollen. 

 The irregular cells shown contain developing bees. Some 

 of the cells have been opened and a young grub can be 

 seen lying in the interior of the cell. (After Sladen.) 



ferent sorts of plants, so that the thighs are streaked with 

 white, lemon-yellow, orange, and bright-red pollen grains. 

 Should the first three or four batches of larvae hatch 

 healthy and vigorous workers, the queen, who is now evi- 

 dently tired, ceases to leave the hive and confines herself to 

 laying eggs and helping with the necessary indoor work. 

 When fully grown the workers cease to use the queen's 



[203] 



