SOLITARY AND SOCIAL BEES 



empty cocoons not in use. Judging by their size, about thirty 

 of the cocoons might later have produced males or queens. 

 Though there were only forty-three bees in the nest there 

 were seventy-seven vacated cocoons. Most of the difference 

 can be accounted for by the deaths amongst the first broods 

 of workers. This was a moderately successful colony which 

 would probably have finished its effective working life two 

 or three weeks later. Most of the honey would probably 

 have been used in feeding the queens. 



Weights of bees in nest of Bombus hortorum, excavated on 

 July 4, 195 1. Weights are given in milligrammes (1 mg.= about thirty- 

 five millionths of an ounce). 



It seems from this record and from many other similar 

 ones that the variation in size of the workers has some 



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