LOSS OF THE QUEEN. 29'5 



many instances I have known more than a week to elapse, 

 before the young queen commenced laying. In the mean time, 

 much comb is often constructed, and if this were of unsuit- 

 able size, it would seriously interfere with the prosperity of 

 the new colony. Who can fail to notice the admirable 

 adaptation of all the facts yet discovered in the economy of 

 the bee-hive, to develop to the utmost the productive power 

 of this truly wonderful insect I 



The only two facts of any importance which appear to a 

 close observer to be inconsistent with the idea of such wise 

 adaptation, is the fact that bees build drone comb only when 

 not in possession of a mature queen, and that in the press of 

 honey-gathering, other colonies often build, for convenience 

 of storing, an excess of such combs, from which thousands 

 of useless consumers are produced, to devour the fruits of 

 their indefatigable industry. In a state of nature, hcwever, 

 and in the tropical climates of which the honey-bee is a na- 

 tive, no injury is experienced from these causes. The 

 larger part of such comb will, year after year, continue to be 

 used for storing up honey, while the bees, having ample 

 room in their natural habitations, will in due season, build all 

 the worker comb that the wants of the most fwodactive 

 queen may require. It is only in our climate of short Sum- 

 mers, and in our hives of such limited dimensions, that the 

 instinct impelling the bees to build drone comb for store- 

 honey, is found at all injurious to their lasting prosperity. 



As a matter of precaution, stocks that are raising 

 young queens, or which have unimpregnated ones, may 

 have given to them a range of comb containing brood and 

 eggs, so that they may, in case of any accident to their 

 queen, proceed at once, to supply their loss. This will pre- 

 vent ihem from being so dissatisfied as to forsake the hive. 



Among the signs of queenlessness, is one which has not 



