bke-keeper's manual. 69 



drone-eggs when laid. 



Dr. Bevan says, " the laying of drone-eggs, which is 

 called the great laying, usually commences at the end 

 of April, or the beginning of May." 



The great laying of drone-eggs is always after the 

 laying of worker-eggs, consequently, I think Dr. Bevan 

 has put the laying of drone-eggs too early, but different 

 climates affect the laying in some measure, and perhaps 

 in England the great laying takes place somewhat ear- 

 lier than in this country. The bees, of course, have in 

 most cases of swarming, been in existence several days, 

 yet in cases of first swarms, not over a week, and less 

 time in after swarms, and some bees go off the day of 

 their leaving the cells. The appearance of drones takes 

 place in the latter part of May, and in some instances, 

 a few appear by the 15th of May; but I have never 

 found them in large numbers, before about the general 

 swarming season, viz : the first week in June, and since 

 it requires twenty-four days for drones to mature from 

 the egg, the great laying of drone-eggs must take place 

 about the 10th of May, in the latitude of New York. 



I observed that the laying of drone-eggs always takes 

 place after the laying of worker-eggs, which is a fact ; 

 yet when the laying of drone-eggs is over, the queen 

 immediately resumes the laying of worker-eggs, and at 

 the time of her going off with a first swarm, she is ready 

 to proceed with the laying of worker-eggs for some days, 

 when she again commences the laying pf drone-eggs ; 

 but not so. extensively as at first. 



