124 BEE-FARMING. 



danger, for they are never at this time seen resting in one 

 place, but darting in and out of the hive w^ith the utmost 

 precipitation, as if in fear of being seized." Huber says 

 he ascertained that the death of these insects was caused 

 by the sting of the workers, whilst others have declared 

 that they were harassed and driven from the hive by the 

 more active workers ; thus they are wearied of life. In 

 some of our hives we have found on examination, before 

 closing them up for the winter, the drones in a large mass 

 dead in one corner of the hive. These must evidently 

 have died of actual starvation, and we believe their death 

 results more from starvation than any other cause, al- 

 though we have seen others tumbled unceremoniously out 

 of the hive, writhing in the throes of death on the ground. 

 These were doubtless stung to death. 



In other instances we have observed them crawling 

 beneath the hive disabled by having their wings injured 

 and bitten off. All these methods may be resorted to, to 

 get rid of the useless members of the colony ; but we think 

 the bees never resort to the sting except when all other 

 means have failed to effect their purpose (as this may 

 cause also the death of the worker bee). It is curious to 

 note that in some seasons the massacre will take place 

 simultaneously in nearly all the hives in the apiary. Huber 

 records an observation of this kind when six hives com- 

 menced the destruction on July 4, and with the same 

 peculiarities in every case. 



HOW LONG DO DRONES LIVE ? 



The drones in this country put in an appearance 

 usually in the month of May. Some, it is true, are dis- 

 covered in April ; but we now speak of the great mass, 

 or what some writers have called the general hatching. 



