68 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HONEY BEE. 



sands of eggs, or had given several hundred Queens to 

 each hive, then from the very nature of the case, a colony 

 must have gone on increasing, until it became a scourge 

 rather than a benefit to man. In the warm climates of which 

 the bee is a native, they would have established themselves 

 in some cavern or capacious cleft in the rocks, and would 

 soon have become so powerful, as to bid defiance to all 

 attempts to appropriate the avails of their labors. 



It has already been stated, that none, except the mother 

 wasps and hornets, survive the Winter. If these insects had 

 been able, like the bee, to commence the season, with the 

 accumulated strength of a large colony, long before its close, 

 they would have proved an intolerable nuisance. If, on the 

 contrary, the Queen bee had been compelled, solitary and 

 alone, to lay the foundations of a new commonwealth, the 

 honey-harvest would have disappeared long before she 

 became the parent of a numerous family. 



In the laws which regulate the increase of bees, as well 

 as in all other parts of their economy, we see the plainest 

 proofs, that the insect was formed for the special service of 

 the human race. 



The Process of Rearing the Queen more Particularly 

 Described. 



In the early part of the season, if the population of a hive 

 becomes very numerous, the bees usually make preparations 

 for swarming. A number of royal cells are commenced, 

 being usually placed upon those edges of the combs which 

 are not attached to the sides of the hive. These cells some- 

 what resemble a small ground-nut or pea-nut, and are about 

 an inch deep, and one-third of an inch in diameter : being 

 very thick, they require a large quantity of material for 



