Longevity of the Honey -Bee. 61 



within twenty-four days of that time. I carefully watched the pro- 

 ceedings of the family during the remainder of the year, hut till the 

 close of autumn nothing different was noticeable in their proceed- 

 ings from what would have taken place, if the queen had been with 

 them, excepting that there was no massacre of the drones, nor any 

 deposition of fresh ova ; both the store and the brood-cells were 

 richly furnished with honey. The hive was situated in an upper apart- 

 ment of my dwelling-house, well protected from cold, — the quick- 

 silver in Fahrenheit's thermometer, which hung near them, seldom 

 ranging below 45° and never lower than 43°. The drones began 

 to decline in number towards the end of October, and by the mid- 

 dle of November not a single drone remained. Soon after their ex- 

 tinction there was a gradual but manifest diminution of the working- 

 bees. They continued decreasing till the 30th of December, when 

 only thirteen remained alive : these were quite active on the morn- 

 ing of that day, but before night two of them had expired ; the other 

 three, when I retired to rest about eleven o'clock, were moving brisk- 

 ly about upon the comb, but when I rose next morning (31st) they 

 also had closed their career. Apprehending when the family be- 

 came very much reduced, that so small a number of bees would be 

 unable to maintain a due degree of heat, I not only surrounded the 

 hive with a thick coating of wool, but kept a fire in the apartment 

 night and day, which preserved a regular temperature of between 

 50° and 60° Fahrenheit. 



From this detail it will, I think, appear pretty evident, that the 

 average life of the drone is about four months, whilst that of the 

 working-bee is extended to about six months. It ivill also appear 

 that their lives are cut off rather suddenly, 



" The race and realm, from age to age remain, 

 Time still renewing with new links the chain." 



On the extinction of the family I took from the hive nearly twelve 

 pounds of fine liquid honey. 



The result of this experiment, as respects the length of the work- 

 ing bee's life, fully confirms, so far as a single experiment can do, 

 the opinion which I had previously formed, and it receives additional 

 strength from another that was instituted by Reaumur. He marked 

 500 bees in April with red varnish, and saw them alive a month af- 

 terwards ; but in the succeeding November not one of them could be 

 distinguished. This circumstance, standing alone, cannot be regard- 

 ed as conclusive ; for, in the first place, the red varnish might have 

 peeled off, prior to his last observation, and, in the next place, it is 



