ire INHABITANTS OF THE HIVE. 



healthy hive— find three kinds of bees ; but at other 

 times only two. 



Deahng, first, with the bees themselves, the two 

 kinds always present are, (i) the queen; and (2) all 

 the common workers ; and then we have, thirdly, the 

 drones ; but these last are only found in summer, or 

 rather from about May to August. 



Here is an illustration of each kind : — 



Worker. Queen. Drone. 



At a future time we will think of, and look closely at, 

 their wings, legs, and stings, and some of their other 

 parts, but at present let us only take notice of their 

 chief features. 



I. The Worker Bee. — This is the common bee, 

 which most thoroughly deserves its name, and which 

 you know so well in appearance, although perhaps 

 you have never stopped to inquire how many legs or 

 how many wings it has. 



You will notice that it is the smallest of the three 

 kinds. These ' workers ' are all female bees, and arc 

 sometimes called neuters, — a name given them be- 

 cause, although females, they never, or only very rarely, 

 lay any eggs. And it is much better for the hive that 

 they should not do so. Indeed if one of them does 

 lay eggs it generally quite spoils- the whole hive. 



