126 THB beS-keEPBR'S GUIDE ; 



It was discovered by Dzierzon in 184S, that the drones 

 hatch from unitnpregnated egg^s. This strange phenomenon, 

 seemingly so incredible, is, as has been shown in speaking of 

 the queen, easily proved and beyond question. These eggs 

 may come from an unimpregnated queen, a laying worker — 

 which will soon be described — or an impregnated queen which 

 may voluntarily prevent impregnation. It is asserted by some 

 that the workers can change a worker-egg to a drone egg at 

 will. When the workers are able to abstract the sperm-cells, 

 which are so small that we can see them only by using a high- 

 power microscope, then we may expect to see wheat turn to 

 chess. Such eggs will usually be placed in the larger horizon- 

 tal cells (Fig. 78, a), in manner already described. 



The drone-cells are one-fourth of an inch in diameter, and 

 project beyond the worker-cells, so they are a little more than 

 one-half an inch long. Very rarely drones are produced in 

 worker-cells. Such drones are diminutive, and undesirable in 

 the apiary. As stated by Bevan, the drone feeds six and a 

 half days as a larva before the cell is capped. As the micro- 

 scope shows, undigested pollen is given to the drone-larvje 

 after the fourth day, which is not true of either the queen or 

 worker. The capping of the drone-cells is very convex, and 

 projects beyond the plane of the same in worker-cells, so that 

 the drone-brood is easily distinguished from worker, and from 

 the darker color — the wax being thicker and less pure — the 

 capping of both drone and worker brood-cells enables us easily 

 to distinguish them from honey -cells. In twenty-four days 

 from the laying of the eggs, the drones come forth from the 

 cells. Of course, variation of temperature and other condi- 

 tions, as variable amount of diet, may slightly retard or ad- 

 vance the development of any brood, in the different stages. 

 The drones — in fact all bees — when they first emerge from the 

 cells, are gray, and are easily distinguished from the mature 

 bee. 



Just what the longevity of the male bee is, I am unable to 

 state. It is probable, judging from analogy, that they live 

 till accident, the worker-bees, or the performance of their 

 natural function, cause their death. The worker-bees may 

 kill off the drones at any time, which they do by constantly 



