§ III.] THE DRONE. 19 



session of than other bees, being by instinct taught that 

 she is indispensable to the welfare of the colony. 



The queen enjoys a far longer life than any of her 

 subjects, her age very often extending to four or even 

 five years ; her fertility will, however, except in rare 

 cases, have left her long before that term, or she will lay 

 only drone eggs, so that as a general rule a substitute 

 is better found for her when she has entered her third 

 year. Under the next section, and those on " Repro- 

 ductive Economy " and " Relation of Sex to Cells," as 

 well as in Chapter IV. under " Queen Cages," will be 

 found other information connected with the queen. 



§ III. THE DRONE. 



The drones are the male bees; they possess no sting, 

 are larger and more hairy than the workers, and may 

 be easily distinguished by their heavy motion, thick-set 

 form, and louder humming. They have a strong odour, 

 which becomes very noticeable if several of them are 

 confined in a box. Evans thus describes the drones : — 



" But now, when April smiles through many a tear, 

 And the bright Bull receives the rolling year. 

 Another tribe, to different fates assigned, 

 In ampler cells their giant limbs confined, 

 Burst through the yielding wax, ^tA wheel around 

 On heavier wing, and hum a deeper sound. 

 No sharpened sting they boast ; yet, buzzing loud. 

 Before the hive, in threatening circles, crowd 

 The unwieldy drones. Their short proboscis sips 

 No luscious nectar from the wild thyme's lips ; 



