THE WORKER-BEE. 15 



THE WORKER-BEE. 



The working bees form, by far, the most numerous 

 class of the three kinds contained in the hive, and least 

 of all require description. They are the smallest of the 

 bees, are dark brown in colour, or nearly black,* and 

 much more active on the wing than are either drones or 

 queens. The usual number in a healthy hive varies from 

 twelve to thirty thousand; and, previous to swarming, 

 exceeds the larger number. The worker-bee is of 

 the same sex as the queen, but is only partially de- 

 veloped. Any &^^ of a worker-bee — by the cell being 

 enlarged, as already described, and the "royal jelly" 

 being supplied to the larva — may be hatched into a 

 mature and perfect queen. This, one of the most 

 curious facts connected with the natural histoiy of bees, 

 may be verified in any apiary by most interesting experi- 

 ments, which may be turned to important use. With 

 regard to the supposed distinctions between "nursing" 

 and working bees, it is now agreed that it only consists 

 in a division of labour, the young workers stajdng at 

 home to feed the larvae until they are themselves vigorous 

 enough to range the fields in quest of supplies. But, for 

 many details of unfailing interest, we must again refer 



* Italian workers form an exception in point of colour. See 

 Plate I., fig. 2. 



