A NEST IN MY STUDY 245 



At 3 p.m. the queen had laid the foundation of a 

 large new cell. The workers were already inclined 

 to interfere, shaking their wings excitedly as they 

 approached it ; the queen, however, took no notice 

 of their opposition and only went on with the cell 

 at intervals. 



I was unable to look into the nest again until 8.30 

 P.M. The cell was then closed, the eggs having been 

 laid in the interval. It was larger than the cell of 

 yesterday, being about the size of a pea. The 

 workers were very active, trying to open it, but the 

 queen came and pushed them away, butting them 

 severely. I saw her chase a particularly aggressive 

 one, and while she was thus engaged another ran to 

 the cell, and, eagerly opening it, began interfering 

 with the eggs, which, however, being at the bottom, 

 were not very accessible. The queen, returning, 

 hurriedly pushed this worker aside and sealed up 

 the cell. Directly her back was turned two workers 

 began to open the cell again. Losing patience she 

 gave one of them a furious butt which sent it reeling 

 to the bottom of the comb, the other she engaged as 

 she would a rival queen, embracing it as if to sting 

 it, but it easily slipped out of her grip and ran away 

 much frightened and subdued. 



A minute later, I looked and saw the queen 

 working with her jaws at the cell in a great state of 

 excitement and activity. Now, instead of closing 

 the cell she had it wide open, and with feverish 

 haste she seemed to be building it up and widening 

 its mouth ; at the same time her body revolved round 



