The Honey Bee 



1397 



being unfertilized tliej can produce nothing else. Their egg lay- 

 ing is very irregular. Single cells often contain a dozen or more 

 eggs. While the work of the worker bees is in the main remark- 

 able and unapproachable, when they attempt something for which 

 they are not qualified by nature, they make a miserable failure 

 of it. 



The difficulty of introducing a laying queen is greatly increased 

 in a colony infested with these obnoxious laying workers. 



Fig. 55. Natural built queen cells, the uppermost one having 

 hatched 



DEONES 



The drones are males. They are the largest bees in the hive 

 and have no sting. They make a great deal of noise and bluster 

 in the world, but their accomplishments are not prominently in 

 evidence. They are typical gentlemen of leisure, enjoying the 

 freedom of the home, living on the fat of the land; taking fre^ 



