BEE BUSINESS 55 



able little household duties of the colony. 

 In winter, of course, there are no activities 

 in the incubator department of the hive; 

 the queen takes a rest and at this season 

 the inside jobs must be looked after by 

 older bees, I'Ubet they hate it, "When the 

 young bee is ten days or so old it is sent 

 out to see what it can find in the way of 

 pollen for the bee babies, the first respon- 

 sible task with which it is trusted outside 

 of the hive. After it serves its appren- 

 ticeship at this job it is allowed to go af- 

 ter the real stuff and brings in its first 

 load of nectar when it is perhaps two 

 weeks old. When it has been engaged in 

 adult activities for a month it is in its 

 prime as a producer of honey. 



The life-history of the drone is very 

 similar to that of the worker except, as I 

 have said, it is produced from an infertile 

 egg. In other words, a drone bee never 

 has any father but the fact apparently 

 causes him no worry. In the case of the 

 drones a somewhat longer period elapses 



