20 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Fig. 16.— Drone. 



THE DRONES. 



These are the male bees and normally are 

 produced only at such seasons as bees rear 

 young queens and swarm. They have not the 

 instinct nor are they constructed so they can 

 work. Their sole known function is to per- 

 petuate the race. They are much larger than 

 workers or queen and they have no sting. (See 

 Figurs 16). 



BEE BEHAVIOR. 



The fundamental law of honey-bee life is co-operation. Though 

 each individual goes about her work of her own volition, the results 

 of her efforts are added to those of the rest of the colony. 



The bees cluster in a more or less compact mass for mutual warmth, 

 and when so clustered build their combs and care for their young. 

 Within that cluster the temperature during the active season is close 

 to 98° F. The greater the number of bees the easier it is for them to 

 maintain throughout the hive the necessary temperature. If colonies 

 are not populous, the bees have to cluster more compactly, the 

 queen's room for laying is restricted, and during the harvest time the 

 field force may only be able to get food enough for themselves and 

 the nurses and young. 



In the winter a good colony of bees contains from 3,000 to 6,000 

 workers. Along about the first of January the queen begins to lay, 

 slowly increasing her laying as the season advances. As the j'oung 

 bees begin to emerge from the comb the queen becomes more active 

 and, if everthing is normal, by the time fruit trees bloom, the whole 

 ton combs will contain some brood, most of the combs being well 

 filled. A colony in such condition is ready for the harvest. 



If the inquisitive beekeeper frequently opens the hive in the spring, 

 or keeps out combs unduly at that chilly season, abnormal conditions 

 are produced and the colony will not be as strong or may even be 

 destroA'ed . 



