Social Bees and Wasps 



in the lid of the cell, through which she can feed her grubs 

 from her own mouth. 



The first of the new brood of bees are all small females, 

 but their diminutive size does not prevent them from 

 helping their mother, with the consequent rapid growth 

 of the community. The construction of further cells is 

 left to the workers ; these later cells are not lined with 

 pollen and honey, but the grubs are fed solely by the 

 workers. In the bumble-bee community there are workers 

 of various sizes and their duties appear to depend upon 

 their size. The large workers repair the exterior of the 

 nest and gather honey ; the smaller individuals repair the 

 cells and tend the young. At this period the eggs are 

 laid by the queen, several together, in mere hollows 

 scooped out of wax. When the grubs hatch from the 

 eggs they remain in their waxen case, but soon become 

 separated from one another by waxen walls. 



The nursing of the larvae is most interesting. One of 

 the workers makes a small hole in the cell and a nurse 

 bee, having gathered together and prepared a mixture of 

 pollen and honey, injects the brownish liquid through the 

 hole prepared by its fellow. The inmates of the cells 

 devour their sweet provender with evident relish. When 

 they are fully grown they spin silken cocoons, from which 

 they emerge in about three weeks. The vacated cells are 

 promptly put in order by the other workers, their upper 

 parts are bitten off and all the refuse in and around them 

 is removed, so that a number of clean, cup-shaped vessels 

 remain; these are used as receptacles for the storage of 

 the honey and pollen brought to the nest by the foragers. 

 Towards the end of the summer workers no longer arise 

 from the cells ; their place is taken by males or drones and 

 fully developed females or queens. These couples leave 

 the nest after their arrival in the world and the bumble- 

 bee community comes to an end. 



A curious statement has arisen with regard to these 

 bees, a statement which has ofttimes been confirmed, yet 



27 



