28 



The Inmates of the Hive. 



Drone-bees are the males of the hive, and are reared at the approach 

 of the swarming season to fertihze the young queens. They have no 

 sting, are larger than the workers, and do not provide anythmg for the 

 support of the colony. When the honey-flow ceases, food is withheld 

 from them by the workers, and they are driven from the hive to perish. 



The worker-bees are undeveloped females, and they provide the 

 essentials for the well-being of the colony. They secrete the wax, build 

 the combs, gather nectar and pollen, attend to the requirements of the 

 queen and drones, care for the larvae, and guard the colony against 

 aggression. Thej' live under the stress of summer work only about 

 six weeks, but during the winter the young bees hibernate and carry 

 the colony through until the spring, when brood-rearing commences. 



The queen is the mother of all the inmates of the hive, and lives 

 from two to five years. She will lay her own weight in eggs daily-- 

 approximately 2,500— during the breeding season. A remarkable 

 feature of the queen is that she is only fertihzed once. She always 

 heads the first or prime swarm issuing from the colony. 



The Development Question. 

 Many seem to be in doubt as to exactly how long it takes the 

 three different eggs to hatch and mature. The exact periods are as 

 follow : — 



Drone 



Worker 



Oueen 



Egg. 



Grub. 



Pupa. 



Full Period. 



24 days. 

 21 

 15^ ,. 



Fig. 25. — A Taranaki Apiary with all Machinery worked by Electric 



Power. 

 Photo, F. A. Jacobsen.] 



