The Family 125 



glands by which the larva; and the queen and drones are 

 supplied with food. 



When the cocoon is finished the bee passes into the 

 pupa stage, where it undergoes those marvellous transfor- 

 mations that change it from a legless, wingless, helpless 

 " worm " to a perfect bee with its wonderful sense organs, 

 its highly developed nervous system, its gossamer wings, and 

 other organs. 



At the end of the pupa stage the bees bite through the 

 caps to their cells, and come forth to take their share in the 

 outer world. 



The whole period from the laying of the egg to maturity 

 in the queen is about fifteen and a half days, in the worker 

 twenty-one, while the drone requires twenty-four days to 

 complete his metamorphosis. 



When about to come forth the young queen begins to 

 "pipe," — a sound that greatly agitates the queen-mother, 

 who thus recognizes a rival. 



Only one queen is tolerated in the hive at a time, and 

 when a young one hatches the old queen kills it or else the 

 bees " swarm ; " that is, the old queen departs with the 

 greater part of the older bees, leaving her daughter to 

 assume the responsibilities of future generations. 



As soon as this daughter finds herself free from her 

 cradle cell, her first impulse is to dispose of possible rivals, 

 and she deliberately uncaps any remaining queen cells and 

 demolishes the innocent occupants by stinging them. 



If two queens come forth at the same time, there is 

 trouble indeed, and a duel immediately ensues which ends 

 only with the death of one. 



The queen stings only queens, and seeks to penetrate her 

 rival between the rings of the abdomen, as the parts there 

 are so soft that she can readily withdraw her sting uninjured. 

 She may be handled and teased to any extent without being 



