BOMBUS, THE HUMBLE-BEE 75 



and so many pale yellow cocoons, standing on 

 their ends like erect mummies, are revealed to 

 the eye. The cocoons are fused together, and 

 those in the centre of the compacted mass are 

 not so high as those on either side. Thus a groove 

 is formed, and in this groove the queen lies, 

 stretching out her abdomen to an amazing extent. 

 Brooding thus, often motionless for half an hour, 

 she is giving the warmth to the chrysalides which 

 alone is now needed to bring forth the first batch 

 of workers. In eleven days from the cocoon 

 building the perfect worker is completed, and 

 each, biting an exit, steps into the outer dark- 

 ness, for it must not be forgotten that the interior 

 of the nest is black as night. At first dishevelled 

 and absurdly weak, the newly-emerged worker 

 has at least enough sense to totter to the honey- 

 pot and take a deep draught before returning to 

 nestle in warmth and safety beneath the body 

 of her mother. In a couple of days, however, 

 the workers are well groomed and are beginning 

 to help in the work of the nest, collecting pollen 

 and honey for the second and later broods of 

 larvae which arise from successive batches of 

 eggs that the queen has from time to time found 

 leisure to lay. 



