404 PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



part covering the head and trunk of the young female, if I may so speak, 

 is ahiiost entirely unwaxed. This operation of the bees facilitates her 

 exit, and probably renders the evaporation of the superabundant fluids of 

 the body of the pupa more easy. 



You will conclude, perhaps, when all things are thus prepared for the 

 coming forth of the inclosed female, that she will quit her cell at the 

 regular period, which is seven days : — but you would be mistaken. Were 

 she indeed permitted to pursue her own inclinations, this would be the 

 case ; but here the bees show how much they are guided in their instinct 

 by circumstances and the wants of their society; for did the new queen 

 leave her cell, she would immediately attack and destroy those in the other 

 cells ; a proceeding which they permit, as I have before stated, when they 

 only want a successor to a defunct or a lost sovereign. As soon, therefore, 

 as the workers perceive — which the transparency of the cell permits them 

 to do — that the young queen has cut circularly through her cocoon, they 

 immediately solder the cleft up with some particles of wax, and so keep 

 her a prisoner against her will. Upon this, as if to complain of such 

 treatment, she emits a distinct sound, which excites no pity in the breasts 

 of her subjects, who detain her a prisoner two days longer than nature 

 has assigned for her confinement. In the interim, she sometimes thrusts 

 her tongue through the clefc she has made, drawing it in and out till she is 

 noticed by the workers, to make them understand that she is in want of 

 food. Upon perceiving this they give her honey, till her hunger being 

 satisfied she draws her tongue back — upon which they stop the orifice with 

 wax.^ 



You may think it perhaps extraordinary that the workers should thus 

 endeavor to retard the appearance of their young females beyond its 

 natural limit ; but when I explain to you the reason for this seeming 

 incongruity of instinct, you will adore the wisdom that implanted it. 

 Were a queen permitted to leave her cell as soon as the natural term for 

 it arrived, it would require some time to fit her for flight, and to lead forth 

 a swarm ; during which interval a troublesome task would be imposed 

 upon the workers, who must constantly detain her a prisoner to prevent 

 her from destroying her rivals, which would require the labors and atten- 

 tion of a much larger number than are necessary to keep her confined to 

 her cell. On this account they never suffer her to come forth till she is 

 perfectly fit to take her flight. When at length she is permitted to do this, 

 if she approaches the other royal cells the workers on guard seem greatly 

 irritated against her, and pull and bite and chase her away ; and she 

 enjoys tranquility only while she keeps at a distance from them. As her 

 instinct is constantly urging her to attack them, this proceeding is frequently 

 repeated. Sometimes, standing in a particular and commanding attitude, 

 she utters that authoritative sound which so much affects the bees ; they 

 then all hang down their heads and remain motionless ; but as soon as it 

 ceases, they resume their opposition. At last she becomes violently 

 agitated, and communicating her agitation to others, the confusion more 

 and more increases, till a swarm leaves the hive, which she either precedes 

 or follows. In the same manner the other young queens are treated while 

 there are swarms to go forth ; but when the hive is sufficiently thinned, 



> Huber, i. 256. 



