THE GENESIS OF THE QUEEN 107 



latory retinue, each attendant bee keeping her 

 head respectfully towards her sovereign, and back- 

 ing before her as she progresses over the combs. 

 Something of this sort is constantly seen during 

 breeding-time, but at other seasons the queen 

 ordinarily receives little attention, passing to and 

 fro in the hive with no more ceremony than is 

 bestowed on any other of the bees. The mediseval 

 writers were aware that the queen had these 

 attendants, and believed them always to be twelve 

 in number, representing the twelve Apostles. A 

 little observation, however, will soon make it clear 

 that the bees which surround the queen on her 

 egg-laying journeys are neither devotees nor cour- 

 tiers. They are actually her guides, her keepers. 

 The queen's movements are all prompted by the 

 incessant strokings and pushings and gentle 

 touches of the antennae that she receives from 

 these. Thus they allow her free passage over 

 the combs, but stop her at each vacant cell, 

 gathering close about her, evidently with the most 

 absorbing anxiety and interest in the operation. 

 First, she peers into the cell, examining it carefully. 

 Then she rears ; the bees give way before her ; she 

 takes a step or two onward until the end of her 

 body is over the cell. And then she thrusts her 

 abdomen deep into it, pauses a moment, mounts 

 again upon the comb, and the attendant bees at 

 once resume charge of her, and manoeuvre her 

 towards the next empty cell. This process never 



