BOMBUS, THE HUMBLE-BEE 81 



male brood resembles that of the workers, and 

 is indistinguishable from it, but the queen cocoons 

 and the queen larvae are larger and readily recog- 

 nised. There is little or no evidence that, as 

 with the honey-bee, a special diet is needed to 

 produce a queen. With the humble-bees royalty 

 seems to be inherent in the egg. At times and 

 in some species a certain jealousy is shown on 

 the part of the workers, who try to destroy the 

 male and the queen eggs, but the ovipositing 

 queen is on the outlook, and although the attacks 

 are often repeated, she usually succeeds in beating 

 off the attackers. 



Unlike the swaggering drones of the beehive, 

 the male humble-bees leave the hive as soon as 

 they can fly and fend for themselves. Hence- 

 forth they are no trouble to their sisters and no 

 charge on the resources of the community. Both 

 males and queens are produced in some numbers, 

 certainly several scores. The latter take longer 

 to attain maturity, and when they can fly they, 

 too, leave the nest, though occasionally they 

 return once or twice laden with pollen. Once 

 mated, they leave for good and seek out winter 

 quarters and so the cycle is completed. 



" Ey Te TpOKw TTctj/re? Kai evl Traari 



