The Life of the Bee 



When the queen has become com- 

 pletely sterile, the bees will rear a certain 

 number of royal princesses to fill her place. 

 But what becomes of the old sovereign ? 

 As to this we have no precise knowledge ; 

 but it has happened, at times, that apia- 

 rists have found a magnificent queen, in 

 the flower of her age, on the central comb 

 of the hive ; and in some obscure corner, 

 right at the back, the gaunt, decrepit " old 

 mistress," as they call her in Normandy. 

 In such cases it would seem that the bees 

 have to exercise the greatest care to pro- 

 tect her from the hatred of the vigorous 

 rival who longs for her death ; for queen 

 hates queen so fiercely that two who might 

 happen to be under the same roof would 

 immediately fly at each other. It would be 

 pleasant to believe that the bees are thus 

 providing their ancient sovereign with a 

 humble shelter in a remote corner of the 

 city, where she may end her days in peace. 

 98 



