70 CLASSIFICATION, PHYSIOLOGY, ETC. 



THE DRONES KILLED BY THE WORKERS. 



As a matter of animal economy, or to save the 

 expense of useless boarders, the workers destroy the 

 drones at irregular periods during the spring, sum- 

 mer and fall. The immediate moving cause of the 

 slaughter is a scarcity of honey and pollen secreted 

 in the flowers. They seldom kill all at these periods 

 in the spring or summer, but when flowers fail at 

 autumn, and no more honey can be gathered, they 

 are all killed, or driven forth to perish from hunger 

 and cold. 



When this killing occurs about the time that swarms 

 should be expected, it is a sure indication that this 

 intention is abandoned or deferred. When a hive 

 retains its drones after all others have killed them, 

 it indicates that such a hive is queenless ; and it 

 should be seen to immediately. If sufficient bees 

 remain, they can be supplied with a queen from some 

 small colony, or what is far better, the two combin- 

 ed in one. ( See directions for supplying queens.) 

 In rare instances the bees will retain a limited num- 

 ber of drones through the winter, which I account 

 for as follows. In some localities a supply of very 

 late pasturage is afforded, giving employment to the 

 bees until the propensity to rid themselves of these 

 useless consumers is passed for the season. They 

 are, however, killed as soon as the spring opens. 



