THE HONEY-BEE ^ND OTHER SOCIAL ANIMALS 317 



members of the community except a few fertilized females 

 die in the autumn, the surviving queens founding new 

 colonies in the spring. The queen then builds a minia- 

 ture "hornet's nest " (fig. 249), lays an egg in each cell, 

 and stores the cells with chewed insects. The first brood 

 is composed of workers, which enlarge the nest, get 

 more food, and relieve the queen of all labor except that 

 of egg-laying. More broods of workers follow until the 



P"lG. 249. — Queen-nest of j'ellow-jacket (I'l'spn). Specimen nt riglit in 

 normal condition; at left cut opeti to slujw brood-cells. (Natural size; 

 from specimen.) 



fall brood of males and females appears, after which the 

 original process is repeated. 



The nests of both bumble-bees and hornets are familiar 

 to all country children, and in summer may be readily 

 found and observed. In early spring the small "queen- 

 nests" of hornets should be looked for, and in winter the 

 hibernating queen bumble-bees and wasps should be 

 sought under stones, in crevices of bark, or in other 

 sheltered places. 



