Longevity of the Honey -Bee. 59 



The period at which the queen bee deposits her greatest number 

 of eggs is the spring, and it has been emphatically called the great 

 laying. I think the facts above stated amply justify the opinion, 

 that all the bees brought into existence by this laying, die before 

 winter, and are succeeded by those hatched at intervals during sum- 

 mer and autumn, and in mild weather, during part of the winter also. 

 The proportion of eggs deposited by the queen at these latter layings, 

 when compared with the great laying in spring, accounts satisfac- 

 torily, upon the theory above stated, for the great disparity in the 

 populousness of a storified or collateral family of bees, at different 

 periods of the year. This view of the matter renders it more than 

 probable, therefore, that the life of the working bee does not exceed 

 six or seven months. 



In order to illustrate my theory I will give below a summary, 

 Avhich, though not pretending to minute precision, may possess suf- 

 ficient for the purpose. 



Bees constituting a family in February, - 3000 



Spring bred bees, * - - - - 17000 



Summer and autumn do, 6000 



26000 

 Removed by death between February and December, - 23000 



Thus bringing the family down to the February number, 3000 



Thus far I was conducted by theory : a theory which I propound- 

 ed to my apiarian friends several years ago, and which they all re- 

 garded as being invulnerable : I have recently had an opportunity 

 of confirming its general correctness by the result of an experiment, 

 the particulars of which I will now detail. 



On the 13th of June 1835, I introduced a prime swarm to my 

 mirror-hive, the early proceedings of which bore so close a resem- 

 blance to those which occurred to Mr Dunbar, as reported in the 

 Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine, that I need not detail them here. 

 On the first of July, when the queen was in the midst of her laying 

 of drone-eggs, and when the hive was well stored with honey, eggs 

 and brood in all stages, I removed her majesty from the family. 

 Though I watched assiduously from early morn till late at night, 

 for several days, no agitation was perceptible. Still I concluded 

 that the bees were aware of the loss they had sustained, as on the 

 second day I perceived the foundation of four royal cells, which were 

 closely attended to by the workers. The general business of the 

 family went on with as much alacrity as usual, pollen was duly car- 

 ried in, honey-cells were stored and sealed over, brood cells cleared 



