LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 153 



curious things to tell you of them yet. Do you 

 think you understand all I have told you about 

 the building of the cells ? 



Harriet. I think I do. 



JRenet. And so do I ; only I should like to 

 know whether the young ones are all in one 

 great cell, or in many little cells. 



ftunt M+ They are not all in one cell, though 

 the cells are of different sizes. Those in which 

 the eggs of the workers are deposited, are smal- 

 ler than those built for drones, because the grubs 

 of the drones are larger, and, of course, require 

 more room. The royal cells, as they are called, 

 are also larger, and in these the queen occasion- 

 ally lays an egg, which in time becomes a queen. 

 When there is a sufficient quantity of comb in 

 the hive, the wax-workers, instead of retaining 

 the honey in their stomachs to form wax, empty 

 it into the cells ; and as soon as a comb is filled, 

 the cells are sealed with wax, and it is reserved 

 by these provident little creatures for winter use, 

 when, as flowers are not blooming, honey can- 

 not be otherwise obtained. 



Although the cells are never opened during 

 the summer, a small quantity of honey is kept 

 14 



