Insect Study 



447 



her clos:ed wings, giving her a graceful form. She has no pollen baskets or 

 pollen comb upon her legs, because it is not a part of her work to gather 

 pollen or honey. The queen bee starts life as an ordinary worker egg, 



Legs of worker honey-bee. 



A, outer surface of hind leg showing the nine segments and claws; ph, tJie 

 pollen basket of tibia; B. inner surface of part of hind leg; wp, wax- 

 pincers; pc, pollen-combs ; C. inner surface of part of hind leg of queen; 

 D, inner surface of part of hind leg of drone ; E, part of middle leg of 

 worker; s, spur; F, part of fore leg showing the antenna cleaner a; 

 G, part of antenna showing sense-hairs and sense-pits. 

 From How to Keep Bees — Comstock. 

 Drawn by A. J. Hammar. 



which is selected for special development. The workers tear down the 

 partitions of the cells around the chosen egg and build a projection over 

 the top, making an apartment, (p. 446, Fig. 4.) The little white bee grub, 

 as soon as it hatches, is fed for five days on the same food as is given to 

 the worker grubs for three days; it is a special substance, secreted by the 

 worker bees, called royal jelly. This food is very nourishing, and after 

 being reared upon it, the princess larva weaves around herself a silken 

 cocoon and changes to a pupa. Meanwhile the workers have sealed her 

 cell with wax. 



