^4 
Supplement to the "Tropical Agriculturist." [April 1, 1901. 
queen is a perfect female as regards her sexual 
organs. The drone is in the same manner a 
male. The worker or so-called neuter is sexually 
imperfectly developed female. 
The Queen, owing to her great laying power, 
is generally regarded as the most important 
member. It is true a fertile queen may soon 
increase the number of workers, and transform a 
weak into a prosperous colony, but she could not 
have done this without having been first fertilised 
by the drone. J^or could the brood be reared 
without the help of the foster mothers, the workers. 
When it is considered how the different elements 
whicli constitute a colony depend upon each 
other, and how their functions interest with one 
another, it becomes obvious that none deserve to 
be called the " most important." Without the 
one the other could not exist for long, only the 
male members may be dispensed with periodically, 
because their influence, when once manifested, 
, is of extraordinary duration. 
The Queen. 
The interesting member of a bee colony, now 
generally known as queen, was formerly also 
called king or leader (Weisel or Weiser, German). 
This was before her sex had been recognised, and 
no doubt arose from the fact that she appears 
singly among a great number of other bees and 
receives cons'iderable attention from them. She 
is, in reality, during the early part of her life, 
the sister of the workers and drones, and later 
the mother of all who surround her. Her true 
position is that of mother-bee, and her importance 
begins after she has been fertilised. The term 
king originated in antique times, when she was 
thought to be a male, and the supposition that 
she possessed monarchial powers and influence 
gave rise to this name. In no sense, however, 
•iocs she exert monarchial power, nor can she 
be called a leader, for she does not lead, but, on 
the contrary, is led by her children. They 
well knowing that upon her depends the repro- 
duction of tlieir numbers, and consequently 
the future welfare of their family, tend to all her 
wants and display the greatest filial attachment 
towards her. A number of workers constantly 
surround her, and according to the desire of greater 
or lesser increase, which is regulated by the 
fiows of nectar and the season, she is suppulied 
more or less abundantly with food. Consterna- 
tion seizes the offspring should the mother be lost 
through death or accident. Soon after emerging 
from the cell the young queen leases the hive a 
few times on fine days and circles about over it 
for the purpose of getting acquainted with the 
surroundings, and then, under the sexual instinct, 
flies off one warm afternoon to meet a drone. The 
mating flight generally takes place on the fourth 
day after the queen has emerged from the cell, 
but sometimes earlier, and frequently later, if 
prevented by inclemency of the weather. If 
delayed for more than 20 days fertilisation rarely 
takes place, and in that case the queen becoms a 
" drone-mother." She is generally successful in 
accomplishing her desire, and when she returns, 
after her nuptial excursions, she does not volun- 
tarily leave the hive again. After coition her 
ovaries develop rapidly, and in a few days she 
begins to lay. The power of ovipositiou grows 
considerably for some time, and when it is at its 
height she may lay as many as 3,000 eggs 
daily. Considering that the average life of a queen 
is about three years, and sometimes extends to over 
five, it is not impossible that she may lay over a 
million of eggs during her lifetime. She is one 
of the most prolific insects known. The laying 
of eggs is the important function of the queen. 
{To be continued.) 
