LOSS OF QUEENS. 241 



thousands cannot be the only one capable of repro- 

 duction or depositing eggs. Why, the idea is prepos- 

 terous I And yet only a little observation will upset 

 this very consistent and analogous reasoning. So it 

 appears to be with the excursions of the young 

 queens. I was compelled, though reluctantly, to 

 admit that they leave the hive. That their purpose 

 is to meet the drones, I cannot at present contradict. 

 Also, that, when the queen is once ' impregnated, it is 

 operative for life, (yet it is another anomaly),' as I 

 never detected her coming out again for that purpose. 

 What then is the use of the ten thousand drones that 

 never fulfil this important duty ? It seems, indeed, 

 like a useless waste of labor and honey, for each stock 

 to rear some twelve or fifteen hundred, when perhaps 

 but one, sometimes not any of the whole number is 

 of any use. If the risk is great in the queen's leaving^ 

 we find it arranged admirably in its not being too fre- 

 quent. 



A MULTITUDE OF DRONES NEEDED. 



Instinct teaches the bee to make the matters left to 

 them as nearly sure as possible. When they want 

 one queen, they raise half a dozen. If one drone or 

 only half a dozen were reared, the chances of the queen 

 meeting one in the air would be very much reduced. 

 But when a thousand are in the air instead of one, 

 the chances are a thousand times multiplied. If a 

 stock oasts a swarm, there is a young queen to be im- 

 pregnated, and be got safely back, or the stock is lost. 

 Every time she leaves, there is a chance of her being 

 11 



