THE HOME OF THE BEES. 367 
larva, the larva and pupa, and again between the latter and 
the imago; a perfect series, showing this gradual trans- 
formation of the young to the imago can be found in 
almost every nest. 
“As soon as the larve are capable of motion and com- 
mence feeding, they eat the pollen by which they are 
surrounded, and, gradually separating, push their way in 
Various directions. Eating as they move, and increasing 
in size quite rapidly, they soon make large cavities in the 
pollen mass. When they have aiaia their full size, 
they spin a silken wall about them, which is strengthened 
by the old bees covering it with a thin layer of wax, 
which soon becomes hard and tough, thus forming a cell. 
(Plate 10, Figs. 1, 2.) The leave now cuadually attain 
the pupa stage, and remain inactive until their full devel- 
opment. They then cut their way out, and are ready to 
assume their duties as workers, small females, males or 
queens. 
“It is apparent that the irregular disposition of the 
cells is due to their being constructed so peculiarly by 
the larvæ. After the first brood, composed of workers, 
has come forth, the queen bee devotes her time principally 
to her duties at home, the workers supplying the colony 
with honey and pollen. As the queen continues prolific, 
more workers are added, and the nest is rapidly en- 
larged. 
“About the middle of summer, eggs are deposited, 
Which produce both small females and males.” . . . “All 
eggs laid after the last of July produce the large females, 
or queens, and, the males being still in the nest, it is pre- 
Sumed that the queens are impregnated at this time, as, 
on the approach of cold weather, all except the queens, 
of which there are several in each nest, die.” 
