THE HONEY-BEE AND ITS THREE CLASSES. 9 



Ceci, Swammerdam, Boerhave, Wildman, Reaumur, Huber, 

 Huish, Nutt, Cotton, Briggs, with a host of other and eminent 

 names, to many of whom, but to Mr. Briggs in particular, I have 

 to acknowledge myself indebted, for some of the suggestions 

 conveyed in the course of these pages, which it is to be hoped 

 may prove as useful as it is my earnest desire they should, and I 

 sincerely trust that no obstinate attachment to old usages, or dis- 

 like to encounter the very trifling degree of trouble consequent 

 on a change of management, will prevent their being, at all events, 

 taken into consideration. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE HONEY-BEE AND ITS THREE CLASSES. 



The Honey-bee belongs to the social family of the Apidse (from 

 Apis, the Latin for bee), to the order, fifth of inseota, termed 

 Hymenoptera, and including all insects possessing four mem- 

 branaceous, gauze-like wings, of unequal sizes, furnished also 

 with a sting, or process at the extremity of the tail, resembling 

 one. The interesting family of bees now under consideration, is 

 known peculiarly as the Apis Mellifica, Honey-making or Honey- 

 bee — not that this species alone makes honey, but that it is the 

 one so long known to man, and which has so long yielded to him 

 its rich store of sweets. 



Of the family of the Honey-bee there are two varieties to be 

 met with in Europe — one inhabiting the north, and the other the 

 south ; the principal difference, however, would appear to consist 

 in color, the southern bee having the rings encircling his body of 

 a deeper red color ; the description, consequently, of the common 

 Hive- bee of the British Islands will apply, sufficiently for every 

 practical purpose, to both insects. 



The number of bees contained in a hive will, of course, vary 

 with their condition, and the amount of accommodation they 

 possess : whatever, however, be their numbers, their occupations 

 are alike, and are similarly distributed amongst the three classes 

 composing the inmates of the hive. These classes are, first, the 

 Queen-bee, the sovereign of the community, and literally, the 

 prolific parent of her subjects. The Queen-bee reigns alone ; 



