58 THE LIFE OF THE BEE 



34 

 As regards this personal affection of which we have 

 spoken there is one word more to be said. That such affection 

 exists is certain, but it is certain also that its memory is 

 exceedingly short-lived. Dare to replace in her kingdom 

 a mother whose exile has lasted some days, and her indignant 

 daughters will receive her in such a fashion as to compel 

 you hastily to snatch her from the deadly imprisonment 

 reserved for unknown queens. For the bees have had time 

 to transform a dozen workers' habitations into royal cells, 

 and the future of the race is no longer in danger. Their 

 affection will increase or dwindle in the degree that the 

 queen represents the future. Thus we often find, when 

 a virgin queen is performing the perilous ceremony known 

 as the " nuptial flight," of which I shall speak later, that 

 her subjects are so fearful of losing her that they will all 

 accompany her on this distant and tragic quest of love. 

 This they will never do, however, if they be provided with 

 a fragment of comb containing brood-cells, from which they 

 shall be able to rear other queens. Indeed, their affection 

 may even turn into fury and hatred should their sovereign 



one of the combs. Her former isolation having terrified her, she is delighted to find herself 

 in the midst of the bees, and being famished she eagerly accepts the food they offer. The 

 workers, deceived by her assurance, do not examine her, but probably imagine that their old 

 queen has returned, and welcome her joyfully. It would seem therefore, that, contrary to 

 the opinion of Huber and all other investigators, the bees are not capable of recognising 

 their queen. In any event, the two explanations, which are both equally plausible — though 

 the truth may lurk, perhaps, in a third that is not yet known to us — only prove once again 

 how complex and obscure is the psychology of the bee. And from this, as from all questions 

 that deal with life, we can draw one conclusion only : that, till better obtain, curiosity still 

 must rule in our heart. 



