FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



241 



Theoretically, then, up to the time a larva in a worker- 

 cell is three days old, it ought to be all right to rear a 

 queen from. Practically, I do not believe a larva three 

 days old is as good as a younger one. The only reason 

 I have for so believing is the expressed preference of 



Fig. 84. — Woman's Bee-Dress. 



the bees themselves. Give them larvas of all ages from 

 which to select, and they always choose that which is 

 two days old, or younger. Indeed, it will be seen that 

 in the comb from which I have trimmed the edge (Fig. 

 89) the larvse on the edge of the comb have been out of 



