HYMENOPTERA. 157 



position much sought after in human metropolitan com- 

 munities. They are rightly named drones, staying 

 within the hive unless pushed out, living off the labors 

 of the foraging workers, profiting throughout their short, 

 lazy lives at the expense of the industrious. And this 

 seemingly inexcusable waste in an organization so 

 economically ordered, is solely for the purpose of providing 

 for the propagation of the bee kind. It finds its counter- 

 part in the cornstalk among the plants, which makes 

 thirty thousand grains of pollen in its tassel in order 

 that perhaps three hundred grains may be useful in 

 producing the full, ripe ear of com. Here is a valuable 

 lesson for us human workers at our tasks. Nature does 

 not grudge the effort; above everything she assures 

 herself of the accomplishment of her purpose — rich 

 effort, sure reward ! 



These drones wait for the advent of the queen, in 

 order to take part in the mating flight. All the drones 

 may start out with the queen; but gradually the weaker- 

 winged individuals fall back, leaving the strongest drone 

 to follow the queen high into the air. As the result of 

 this union come the hundreds of eggs which the queen 

 will lay during the time that she remains the mother 

 of the colony. But the victor drone perishes at the 

 moment of victory, having actually given his own life 

 for the lives of the colony to be. 



As to the mode of formation of a colony : in some of 

 the comb cells reserved for that purpose the queen from 

 some older community lays fertilized eggs, one in each cell, 

 and at the same time the workers are busy storing other 

 cells with honey and pollen. In three days these eggs 

 hatch into tiny soft-bodied grubs. These are fed by the 

 nurse-workers with honey and with bee jelly. Honey is 



