BEE-KEEPING IN WAR-TIME ii 



unselfishly for the welfare of the community. So "hard do 

 they labour in the summer time that death ensues in about 

 six weeks; the wastage of the population at this period is 

 enormous, hence the necessity for the marvellous repro- 

 ductive powers of the mother, to keep up the working popu- 

 lation of the hive. Workers which hatch out in the autumn 

 have very little work to do, so they live through the winter 

 and commence the work of the hive m the early months of 

 the next year. They have a sting, which is used for defensive 

 purposes only ; in using this weapon the bee generally sacrifices 

 its life, for, on account of its construction, it is difficult to 

 withdraw, usually remaining in the wound inflicted; this 

 severance causes death. The labours of the worker comprise 

 the following: gathering nectar (not honey) and converting 

 it into honey (the difference between nectar and honey is 

 great, the former consisting of cane sugar, the latter of grape 

 sugar, hence the great food value of honey on account of its 

 being easily assimilated by the human stomach), secreting 

 wax, building the combs, hatching the eggs, feeding the larva 

 in the cells, also the adult queen and drones, cleaning the 

 home, and acting as undertaker for the dead. Though 

 they are the smallest bees in the hive, they are the most 

 active. 



Drones are the male bees ; as only one drone is required 

 to mate each queen, they are not required in large numbers. 

 They are bulky fellows and have no sting. Like the queen, 

 they depend for their Uving upon the workers, who give 

 them digested food. About August the swarming season is 

 over, the drones are then no longer needed, so, to save the 

 useless consumption of food and time spent in attending to 

 their requirements, they are killed off. This is accomplished 

 by the workers putting their wings out of action by biting them 

 at the joint ; they are then unceremoniously pitched out of 

 the hive on to the ground to perish. 



Ill 

 SWARMS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL 



Colonies of bees increase by What is termed swarming. With 

 the majority of living creatures increase is obtained by young, 

 with the bee this is reversed, the old bees and old queen going 

 out to found the new home. 



