70 NATURAL HISTORY. [cH. IV. 



After the old queen is gone, the bees watch the 

 royal cells ; and as soon as the worms are in a state 

 to become nymphs, they close them up. 



It is to be remarked that this operation is not done 

 to every cell at once ; consequently, the young queens 

 are of various ages : indeed, at least one day inter- 

 venes between the laying of one royal egg and an- 

 other. 



By this means, several queens are successively 

 born, and several swarms thrown off. Had, on the 

 contrary, fifteen or sixteen queens appeared at the 

 same time in the same hive, the whole number 

 would have fallen victims to their own passions. 



As soon as a young queen is produced, like her 

 mother, she proceeds instantly to attack the other 

 royal cells ; but here there is a remarkable differ- 

 ence in the conduct of the workers ; for, although 

 they permitted their ancient queen to pursue her sove- 

 reign pleasure, they by no means extend the same 

 courtesy to her daughter ; but the moment she at- 

 tempts to approach a cell, the guards surrounding 

 them immediately attack, bite, and drive her off. 

 She then runs to another, and is treated by the guards 

 of that cell in a similar manner ; the fury of her 

 passion, constantly excited by the sight of these 

 cells, sends her in a state of fury about the hive ; 

 and this, as in the other cases, is communicated to a 

 portion of the workers, and they all quit their native 

 habitation. 



In this way several swarms will issue from one 

 hive in the course of one season. This seems to 

 explain the cause of the very undutiful and unusual 

 treatment which the queen experiences from the 

 workers, They know that several queens are ne- 

 cessary, and accordingly guard against the effects 

 of that antipathy which, by destroying the royal 

 brood, would prevent swarming. If it so happen 

 that three or four queens should appear at the same 

 time, or before the redundant population which had 



