150 INSECT ARTIZANS AND THEIR WORK 



and when only five days old it is full-fed and fills 

 the cell. The nurse bees then close the cell with 

 a cap made of wax and pollen, which is porous and 

 admits the air. The grub then spins its cocoon, 

 and changes into the chrysalis condition. About a 

 fortnight later it appears as a winged worker, and 

 rests for half a day to allow its integuments to 

 harden, after which it is ready to take up duty as a 

 nurse or other indoor worker. The evolution of 

 the drone foUows much the same course, but, so 

 far as information goes, when it emerges as a bee, 

 bigger than a worker and with compound eyes 

 that meet on the top of the head, it does no work 

 oeyond taking part in the ventilation of the hive 

 by fanning with its wings. 



The " royal " cells are mere cups when the 

 eggs are laid in them. In three days also these are 

 hatched, and the nurse bees drench the young 

 grub with a special food, the " royal jelly." As 

 the grub grows, the cell walls are built up, and 

 in five days full growth is completed, when the 

 cell is finished and sealed up for a fortnight, by 

 which time the female bee issues from her chrysalis 

 skin, and is soon ready if need be to accompany 

 a swarm to found a new colony. Or she may be 

 killed before emergence by her jealous mother. 



Whilst on the subject of wax we ought to men- 

 tion that for less important uses, such as stopping 

 cracks, or sealing up the bodies of invaders whom 

 they have killed but cannot remove, they use a 

 substance to which the ancients gave the name 



