THE WORKER 93 
to the queen, but the difference in environment under which she 
develops, makes of her a very different creature. The practical 
apiarist takes advantage of this fact to utilize the eggs and larvee 
from worker cells to rear queens in large numbers when such are 
desirable. The worker is reared in the ordinary cell in which 
honey is stored. The close confinement of the narrow cell de- 
prives her of normal sexual development, and she is incapable of 
mating and of normal sex life. In addition to the larger cell 
oceupied by the queen larvie, the richer food, royal jelly, seems 
to have a great bearing on the difference in development. 
It is now generally agreed that the newly emerged bees are 
first occupied with the duties within the hive, such as comb 
building and nursing of the young. Later they go to the fields 
to gather honey and pollen, and thus continue to the end of life. 
It is probable that under normal conditions the young workers 
do not go to the fields until they are from two to three weeks 
old. During the honey flow the average length of life among the 
workers is short, probably not much more than six weeks, while 
those hatched late in summer after the harvest is gathered may 
live until the following spring. 
Twenty-one days is the usual period of development, from 
the time the egg is laid until the worker leaves the cell. Three 
days are required for the hatching of the egg, six days are spent 
in the larval period, and twelve days within the cocoon after the 
cell is sealed. This period varies slightly according to conditions 
of heat or cold, or possibly because of other abnormal conditions. 
A newly emerged bee is easily recognized by her small size 
and velvety appearance. One is reminded of a baby just learn- 
ing to walk, by the uncertain attitude of the youngster. On 
sunny afternoons large numbers of the young bees will be seen 
in flight about the hive. These play spells are often mistaken 
for evidence of robbing by the novice. When brood-rearing is 
at its height, a pint or more of young bees will be emerging 
every day to replace the old bees, which are wearing out in field 
work. When they are about a week old, they take a flight to 
