§ ni.j THE DRONE. 25 



very difficult of withdrawal, even if its owner were not 

 already dead. INIr. Langstroth remarks as to the design 

 of this seemingly harsh provision that in default of it the 

 queen would be compelled to remain with the drone 

 much longer in the air, thus incurring far greater danger 

 of falling a prey to some passing bird. After all it is un- 

 doubtedly one of those instances as to which it may be 

 said of Nature, in Tennyson's words, — 



'■ So careful of the type she seems. 

 So careless of the single life.'' 



Her majesty, although thus left a widowed, is by no 

 means a sorrowful bride, for in from two to three days 

 she becomes the happy mother of a large family. Such 

 at least is the normal rule, but should the season be late 

 in the autumn she may not commence laying till the 

 following spring. It cannot be said that she pays no 

 respect to the memory of her departed lord, for she never 

 marries again. Once impregnated — as is the case with 

 most insects — the queen bee continues productive during 

 the remainder of her existence. 



The swarming season being over — that is about the end 

 of July, when the gathering has materially slackened — 

 a general massacre of the " lazy fathers " shortly follows. 

 Dr. Bevan observes that now their work is completed, 

 " they are regarded as useless consumers of the fruits of 

 others' labour : love is at once converted into hate, and 

 a general proscription takes place." For it was love, 



