38 STUDIES IN INSECT LIFE, ETC. 



hearted devotion to the welfare of the com- 

 munity which shelters her, the worker-bee is 

 unique. 



As every one knows, the inhabitants of a hive 



comprise three ranks : (i.) 

 The queen, as a rule but 

 one at a time, is very 

 literally the mother of 

 her people, for she alone 

 lays eggs; (ii.) the 

 workers, in structure fe- 

 males though with rare 

 exceptions never laying 

 eggs, but doing with 

 tireless energy the whole 

 work of the hive; (iii.) 

 the drones or males, 

 absolutely useless except 



that amon s st them one 



will be found - probably 

 the strongest who fertilises the queen-bee. 



Let us consider for a brief space the activities 

 of these varying ranks. A hive has swarmed 

 that is to say, a number of workers, together 

 with a smaller number of drones and the exist- 

 ing queen, have left the hive and are hanging 



