CHAPTER III. 



THE QDEEN OK MOTUER-BBE, THE BEONES, AND THE 



WORKERS ; WITH VARIOUS HIGHLY IMPORTANT FACTS IN 



THEIR NATURAL HISTORY. 



Bees can flourish only when associated in large numbers, 

 as a colony. In a solitary slate, a single bee is almost as 

 helpless as a new-born child ; it is unable to endure even 

 the ordinary chill of a cool summer night. 



If a strong colony of bees is examined, a short time 

 before it swarms, three different kinds of bees will be found 

 in the hive. 



1st. A bee of peculiar shape, commonly called the Queen 

 Bee. 



2d. Some hundreds, more or less, of large bees called 

 Drones. 



3d. Many thousands of a smaller kind, called Workers 

 or common bees, and similar to those which are seen on 

 the blossoms. A large number of the cells will be found 

 filled with honey apd bee-bread ; while vast numbers con- 

 tain eggs, and immature workers and drones. A few cells 

 of unusual size, are devoted to the rearing of young queens, 

 and are ordinarily to be found in a perfect condition, only 

 in the swarming season. 



The Queen-Bee is the pnly perfect female in the hive, and 

 all the eggs are laid by her. The Drones are the males, 

 and the Workers are females, whose ovaries or " egg-bags" 



