HUMBLE BEES THEIR HOUSEKEEPING. 



201 



from which it is relieved at the proper time by the 

 parent, who bites a circular piece from one end, as if it 

 were a previously made lid. 



At first, only worker bees are developed, the males 

 and females appearing later in the year. The workers 

 come to the assistance of the queen, who has thenceforth 

 little to do but deposit eggs. They watch over the 



HUMBLE BEES AND CELLS. 



young larvse, feed them, fetch honey and store it in the 

 vacant cells, and in fact do all the work of the community. 

 The honey cells are not placed together as is the case 

 with the Hive Bee, but are mixed with the breeding 

 cells, and heaped together without the least attempt at 

 regularity. The honey is, as a rule, very sweet and 

 fragrant, but it is sometimes injurious to human beings. 



