THE COMB-BUILDERS 213 



that designed for raising the drone-larvse is built 

 up of cells having a diameter of J inch, and a 

 depth of about -f inch. These different-sized 

 cells are not mingled indiscriminately over the 

 comb, but are grouped together in large blocks. 

 Some of the combs will be entirely composed of 

 worker-cells, which are always in the vast majority; 

 other combs will be made up of both kinds. 



The bees begin a comb by attaching a small 

 block of wax to the roof of the hive. On either 

 side of this they hollow out depressions, which 

 become the bases of the first cells. The work is 

 then extended downwards and sideways, the cell- 

 bases being multiplied in all directions as fast as 

 possible, so that there are a great number of un- 

 finished cells in progress long before the walls of 

 the first cells have been completed. There is a 

 very reasonable motive for this procedure. When 

 a house is being built, as much of the foundations 

 as possible are laid in at the commencement, to 

 ^llow a large body of bricklayers to get to work 

 on the walls at the same time; and the bee extends 

 her comb-foundations on the same principle. 



When about half the comb has been finished for 

 worker-brood, it may be decided to commence 

 building drone-cells. As the bases of the drone- 

 cells are larger than those of the worker-cells, it 

 follows that a change must be effected in the 

 ground-plan of the comb. The bees prepare for 

 this transition very cleverly, evidently studying how 



