ATTRACTING QUEENS 115 



been saved had I understood better how to protect 

 them ; but the dangers to which they were exposed 

 were often not realised, and the way to combat 

 them not discovered and put into practice until too 

 late. 



As the queen humble-bee works for nearly a 

 month in all weathers, flying at all times of the day 

 from early morning until dusk, I quite expected a 

 considerable proportion of my queens to get lost, 

 but I was pleased to find my fears almost ground- 

 less, for in every case in which a queen possessing 

 brood disappeared, except one, it was found that 

 she had deserted her nest because of some accident 

 to the brood. Indeed, humble-bee queens seem to 

 bear a charmed life. Undoubtedly they are avoided 

 by the majority of insect-feeding birds and animals, 

 which must recognise them by their massive appear- 

 ance, their striking colours, and, when flying, by 

 their loud peculiar hum. The scent of the humble- 

 bee is disliked by many animals, their instinct lead- 

 ing them to flee from it ; as may be seen, for instance, 

 if one presents a humble-bee to a dog, who will turn 

 away in disgust, although he will readily snap at 

 a fly. 



But there is no charm about the life of the 

 humble-bee's brood, the eggs being very much 

 relished by ants, and the larvae and pupae by mice 

 and shrews. None of these enemies, so far as I 

 have been able to observe, dares to attack the brood 

 when the queen is in the nest. Here, if the queen 

 is disturbed in the least, she warns the foe with loud 



