100 MORE ABOUT WHAT THE BEES DO. 



of laying such eggs as will produce either drones or 

 workers, just as required. When in the course of her 

 sgg-l^ying she comes to a drone-cell, she lays an egg 

 which will produce a drone ; and when she lays an 

 egg in one of the smaller cells, it is one that will 

 produce a worker. 



Of drones, also, we have not much more to say. 

 You must remember, however, that they are the male 

 bees of the hive, and that the queen finds a husband 

 amongst them, but generally from amongst those of 

 some other hive than her own. Beyond being neces- 

 sary in this way, it is sometimes thought that the poor 

 drone is quite useless in the hive. I feel sure that this 

 is not the case, because, when we really and fully un- 

 derstand any production of Nature — even the smallest 

 insect, or even the most minute part of any insect — we 

 find some good reason for it ; and I am quite certain 

 the drone in the hive is no exception to the rule. 

 And although we do not, as yet, fully know all the 

 good the drone does, or the use of the number of 

 drones that we often find in a hive; I have no doubt 

 that they serve one great purpose, and that is, to keep 

 the interior of the hive nice and warm at a time when 

 most of the other bees are out at work. The hive 

 must be kept to a certain temperature, and always 

 is so ; and if the drone can do nothing else, at all 

 events its big, burly body gives out a great deal of 

 heat. 



When August arrives, however, the drones are no 

 longer wanted for warmth or any other purpose, as 

 the other bees stay much more at home. They are 

 therefore in the way, and a very useless burden in the 



