STRANGE FACTS ABOUT QUEENS 93 



swarm in the future, she will not again seek the 

 outer world. She chooses a fine day, usually in 

 the early afternoon. At that time the drones are 

 flying about all the hives. When she first leaves 

 the hive, she goes only a little way, as if to exercise 

 her wings somewhat, and also to locate the hive 

 and its surroundings, for if she returned to the 

 wrong hive, she would be killed immediately she 

 entered. 



Having made perhaps three or four little excur- 

 sions of the kind, she at last makes her long flight. 

 Leaving the hive, she rushes swiftly away into the 

 upper air, and is followed by a crowd of drones, 

 varying in number according to the condition of 

 the apiary. 



At a great height, the mating with the drone 

 who is fortunate enough to catch her takes place. 

 In the operation, the drone is badly injured, 

 being unable to set himself free from the queen. 

 He falls dead, and the queen returns to the hive 

 with a portion of his organs adhering to her. The 

 watching bee-keeper hails this trophy with delight, 

 for it is the surest sign that the mating has been 

 safely accomplished. 



In a well-ordered colony, practically no notice 

 appears to be taken of this proceeding, the queen 

 being left to do exactly as she pleases ; but in 

 the case of a small colony which has been queen- 

 less for some time, and has no brood in the 

 hive, it sometimes happens that the whole 



