64 OUR INSECT FRIENDS AND FOES 



destroyed. We gain some idea of the arduous 

 duties of the queen when we learn that, in the 

 full tide of her powers, she is capable of 

 depositing 100 eggs per hour, or 3000 per diem. 

 To keep up her strength while depositing her 

 eggs, she is constantly fed by the attendant 

 workers. Three or four days after the eggs 

 have been deposited, the tiny grub-like larvae 

 emerge, and feed upon the masticated food 

 which is placed ready in each cell As they 

 gain in strength and size, the larvae stretch up 

 to the mouth of their cells, and eagerly devour 

 the food supplied to them by the nurse-workers. 

 After the sixth day, the worker larvae are 

 only supplied with unmasticated food, and the 

 result of this modified diet is a stunting or 

 arresting of the development of their repro- 

 ductive system. On the other hand, the princess 

 or queen larvae receive an abundant supply of 

 nutritious and stimulating food, which appears 

 to bring about the perfect development of their 

 reproductive system. When the larvae are full 

 fed, their cells are sealed up with a waxen cap 

 by the workers, and then the larvae spin their 

 silken cocoons and turn to pupae. It is curious 

 and interesting to note that while the worker 

 and male larvae spin complete cocoons, the 

 princess larvae only enclose the head, thorax, 

 and first abdominal segment in a silken wrapping. 

 Profound structural changes take place until the 

 pupae in the silken cocoons are gradually 

 modified into young bees. When their meta- 

 morphosis is completed, the young worker and 

 male Bees bite through their cocoons and the 



