146 



SCHOOL ENTOMOLOGY 



Queens are produced from eggs which are just the same 

 as those which normally produce workers. The larvse 

 destined to form queens are fed with a specially prepared food 

 called " royal jelly" and the cells in which they develop 

 are altered to suit the needs of the larger individual. 

 When a new queen emerges in a hive she may be killed 

 by the old queen or may herself kill the old queen. Fre- 



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FIG. 109. A Cut Bee-tree, Showing Combs in the Cavity. 



quently, however, neither is killed but the old queen 

 leaves the hive and takes with her a large number of the 

 workers. These find a suitable situation and form a new 

 colony. The division of a colony in this manner is called 

 swarming. Queen raising, swarming and other operations 

 of the colony are done artificially by the modern bee 

 raiser or apiculturist. 



Bees, especially honey-bees, are important not only for 



