68 



ETON NATURE-STUDY 



a 



Finally, if the student has time at his disposal, there is much that 

 he may do besides looking out for the special 

 points which we have suggested. 



If one or more queen cells are formed, it 

 is well to remove the old queen, and allow 

 one virgin queen to emerge from her cell. 

 On the ninth day after her appearance, 

 generally about 10 A.M., she will be seen to 

 leave the hive for her nuptial flight. The 

 behaviour of the bees a,t this moment and on 

 her return should be watched, since observers 

 differ in their accounts as to the " send off" and 

 welcome home that she receives. To all bee- 

 FiGUREi87.-Thee gg oftiie ^ eepers? an d i n f ac t to all those who care to 



xi0116y J366. 



read about these insects, we may recommend 



Maeterlinck's " Life of the Bee," perhaps the most remarkable book 

 of its kind published in late years. Though to some extent fanciful 

 in places, for instance, as regards the description of the queen's 

 nuptial flight, the account of bee-life is told 

 with such keen insight and descriptive power 

 that the reader will be caught by the author's 

 enthusiasm for his subject. If the nature 

 student is not a practical beekeeper, and does 

 not know how to raise a nucleus swarm, 

 he should buy a copy of the British Bee 

 Journal early in June, and order a nucleus 

 swarm from advertisements which he is sure to 

 find. This will consist of two or three frames 

 covered with worker bees, and one queen, and FIGURE 188 _ The larva 

 should be put into the observatory hive as of the Honey Bee. 



