MORE ABOUT WHAT THE BEES DO. 99 



had for the young larvse when the eggs are hatched. 

 She will, therefore, begin about the time when the 

 early crocuses appear, as from these and some other 

 early flowers the bees get a good supply of the food 

 necessary for the infants. But if the weather is un- 

 favourable, or the supply of food runs short, egg- 

 laying is delayed ; and, if already begun, at once, in a 

 great measure ceases. And at such times, even if the 

 queen wishes to lay, the workers will prevent her ; 

 they know the danger of having more young mouths 

 than they can feed. 



' The pi-escient female rears her tender brood 

 In strict proportion to the hoarded food.' 



Evans. 



Aware of this instinct. Bee-keepers take advantage 

 of it ; and, when they want their queens to begin 

 laying eggs rather earlier than they otherwise would, 

 give them a little food — but only a little — day by 

 day, which satisfies them that their little ones, if 

 born, will not starve, and therefore that they need not 

 fear to begin the great work of the year. 



It is in May and June that the greatest number of 

 eggs are laid. In September the queen generally, 

 more or less, ceases to lay ; although this mainly de- 

 pends upon the weather, and the honey-giving plants 

 of the locality, for she will sometimes lay eggs as late as 

 November. Where there is heather, the breeding season 

 is continued much longer than in other places. You 

 see, thus, how in this as in other things, instinct guides 

 the bee to do just the right thing at the right time. 



But after all, perhaps, the most extraordinary fact 

 about the queen is her power — as mentioned before — 



