LONGEVITY OF BEES, , 19 
often had the question asked me, why are so many needed in a hive 
containing one queen; my answer to this is, that the queen in her 
flight may be sure of coming in contact with one, and not be under 
the necessity of hazarding her life by repeatedly leaving the hive. 
Nature provides bountifully for all her wants; not more so in this than 
in a thousand other instances. 
CHAPTER VII. 
LONGEVITY OF BEES. 
Tux length of life allotted by the ancients to the working bee, was 
much greater than has since been, by modern writers; as the former 
supposed it to reach the term of from seven to ten years, but the latter 
have thought it not to exceed one year. Dr. Bevan, after experi- 
menting on the subject, has given it as his opinion, that it does not 
exceed six or seven months. And from the attention I have paid to 
the subject, I am of the opinion that it does not much exceed that 
term; though I think that probably some may exceed that period. 
I find that there are many bee-keepers at the present day, that are 
not at all prepared to believe this statement, and do really suppose 
that the bee generally lives several seasons. But I think that after a 
little reflection, every one must be convinced that the average life of 
the working bee does not at most exceed eight or nine months, and 
that a large proportion do not reach the age of six months. Let any 
one who doubts this put a swarm into a bee-house, or room fitted for 
the purpose, and of such dimensions as will prevent swarming, ag 
many have done in the State of Ohio, and then let him observe their 
operations; and he will find that as a general thing he will have as 
many bees in his colony on the first of July of the second year as he 
will at that period in any subsequent year. The philosophy of the 
matter is simply this: The queen being the mother of the entire 
family, and producing all the brood, or young bees, the population of 
the colony is kept up by her; and she being able to produce only 
about a given number of bees during the season, and their lives being 
