92 STRANGE FACTS ABOUT QUEENS 



on the queen's abdomen, but it has been pointed 

 out that eggs are frequently laid in worker cells 

 which are only just commenced, when there could 

 not be any such pressure, yet the eggs produce 

 workers. It seems well settled that the queen is 

 able entirely to control the flow from the sptr- 

 matheca, and thus produce either workers or drones 

 at will. 



Another circumstance which was unknown to 

 the older observers is the fact that the queen must 

 leave the hive before being mated. The drones 

 are incapable, from their peculiar anatomy, of exer- 

 cising their functions except on the wing. It is 

 thus necessary for every queen to leave the hive in 

 order to be mated. This is a circumstance en- 

 tirely favourable to the welfare of the community, 

 for it is a well-recognised fact that inbreeding 

 tends to degeneracy sooner or later. Moreover, 

 although the queen flies seldom, she flies well and 

 swiftly, and, therefore, it is only the strongest and 

 swiftest drones which are able to catch her when 

 she does leave the hive. There is thus a constant 

 tendency for the race to be developed in wing 

 power, and indeed a great field is open for the 

 careful apiarist to raise by selection a race of very 

 swift, strong bees. 



Great precaution is taken by the queen to ensure 

 her own safety when she leaves the hive for her 

 wedding flight. It is the only time she will ever 

 be mated, and, indeed, unless she goes out with a 



