216 THE MAEVEL OF INSECT LIFE 



there are at least fifty or sixty thousand cells to be 

 made, and the wax to be secreted for them. Most of 

 them are " worker " cells, but there is a larger kind in 

 which the male grubs are hatched, called " drone " cells ; 

 and then there are the huge supplementary edifices, 

 called " royal " cells, in which the queens are nurtured. 



About two thousand eggs are laid daily, and have to 

 be distributed into separate cells. 



About twenty thousand grubs must be fed continually, 

 sealed down when they are ready to change into the 

 pupal stage, and set free when they are fully developed. 

 Fully twenty thousand cells must be filled with honey, 

 and perhaps half as many with bee-bread. 



Then there are the setting and relieving of sentinels, 

 the hive to be kept scrupulously clean, the ventilation 

 and temperature to be regulated, the provision for suc- 

 cessive swarms and their monarchs, and a variety of 

 miscellaneous duties, all of which offices must be care- 

 fully arranged, lest any of the bees engaged in them 

 should interfere with each other. 



