28 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



made as in the, old hive in spring. Soon the first swarm 

 "will he as fuU, and contain prohahly as many drones 

 as the mother hive did when on the eve of swarming. If 

 this swarm he kept full and prosperous, drones may be ' 

 continuously reared till the end of the season, when the 

 general massacre takes place. But often the lives of 

 drones and drone-brood are destroyed- during weather un- 

 favourable for gathering honey. On the appearance or 

 prospect of hard times the bees destroy these comparatively 

 useless creatures and cast them out of their hives. "WTien- 

 ever white drones are seen being cast out, the owner may 

 be pretty certain that his bees are on the border-land of 

 starvation. The lives of drones being always cut short, 

 no one can say how long they would live if let alone. 



