108 OUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBORS 



there were some special cells in which queens 

 are reared. When the bees would rear an- 

 other queen, they provide a very large cell, 

 which looks much like a small peanut, and 

 feed the baby larva freely with a very rich 

 food, called royal jelly. With the big cell and 

 the rich food the royal baby grows very rap- 

 idly, and reaches maturity much sooner than 

 either the worker bees or the drones. Only 

 sixteen days from the time the egg is laid are 

 necessary for her complete development. 



While they were standing there beside the 

 open hive, they heard a zeep, zeep, and a 

 smothered answer, which was the piping of 

 the queens. One sound was made by the 

 mature queen on the combs, and the other by 

 the young one which was just ready to emerge 

 from the cell, but which was prevented from 

 doing so by the workers until the swarm was 

 ready to leave the hive. The girl learned that 

 when this sound is heard the beekeeper knows 

 that the bees are ready to swarm and will come 

 out before very long. 



A few hours later they chanced to be in the 

 apiary when the swarm issued. Suddenly 

 there was a great bluster among the bees, and 

 with a glad, new note they tumbled hastily out, 



