BEE MANUAL. 73 
and sometimes more than a dozen. They are built to hang as 
nearly vertical as possible, the broader end uppermost, and 
gradually narrowing towards the point below. The queen lays 
her egg in the cell when it is about half built; after three days, 
as in the case of workers and drones, the larva is hatched ; the 
workers then feed the larva for five days with an abundance of 
so-called “royal jelly,” which appears to be much the same as 
that fed to worker larve, only perhaps more carefully prepared. 
Mr. Reot says on this point :— 
“‘It has also been said that the queens receive the very finest, most 
perfectly digested, and concentrated food that they (the workers) can 
prepare. This I can readily believe, for the royal jelly has a very rich 
taste—something between cream, quince jelly, and honey, with a 
slightly tart and rank, strong milky taste, that is quite sickening if 
much of it be taken. Iam inclined to think that the same food that 
is given the young larve at first will form royal jelly, if left exposed 
to the air, as it is in the broad open queen cells.” 
This food is deposited in a considerable quantity in the 
queen cell before it is closed (see 6 in last figure). The queen 
larva takes only one day to spin its cocoon, as it only covers 
the upper half of the body. This fact was observed by Huber, 
and commented upon in the following manner :— 
““The worms both of workers and males fabricate complete cocoons 
in their cells; that is, close at both ends and surrounding the whole 
body. The royal larve, on the other hand, spin imperfect cocoons, 
open behind, and enveloping only the head, thorax, and first ring of 
the abdomen. The discovery of this difference, which at first may 
seem trifling, has been the source of extreme pleasure to me, for it 
evidently demonstrates the admirable art with which nature connects 
the various characteristics of the industry of bees. .... Of several 
royal nymphs ina hive, the first transformed attacks the rest, and 
stings them to death” (by biting through the side of the cell, and 
inserting her sting through the hole so made). ‘‘ But were these 
nymphs enveloped in a complete cocoon, she could not accomplish 
this. Why? Because the silk is of so close a texture, the sting 
could not penetrate, or if it did, the barbs would be retained by 
the meshes of the cocoon, and the queen, unable to retract it, would 
become the victim of her own fury. Thus, that the queen might 
destroy her rivals, it was necessary the last rings of the body 
should remain uncovered ; therefore the royal nymphs must only 
form imperfect cocoons. You will observe that the last rings alone 
should be exposed, for a sting can penetrate no other part. The 
head and thorax are protected by connected shelly plates, which it 
cannot pierce.” 
