14.0 Mr. Hunter's Observations on Bees . 
talk of the wonderful oeconomy of bees, it is chiefly the la- 
bourers at large we are to admire, although the queen gets 
the principal credit, for the extent of their instinctive properties. 
This oeconomy, in its appearances and operations, is some- 
what similar to human society, but very different in its first 
causes and mode of conduct. The human species sets up its 
own standard ; the bee has one set up by nature, and therefore 
fulfils all the necessary purposes. This standard of influence, 
which is the breeder, is called the queen, and I shall keep 
to the name, although I do not allow her voluntary influence 
or power. 
The non-breeders are what compose the hive, or what may 
be called the community at large ; and the males, are mere males : 
each of these parts of the community I shall hereafter consider 
separately. 
To take up the common bee in any one period of the year, 
or, in other words, in any one month, and carry it round to the 
same, and observe what happens in that time, is probably in- 
cluding the whole oeconomy of bees ; for although they may 
live more than one year, which I believe is not known, from 
its not being easily ascertained, yet each year can only be a 
repetition of the last, as I conceive they are complete in the 
first ; therefore the history of one year may be said to make a 
whole, and of course it is not material at what time in the circle 
we begin the history. 
Perhaps the best time to begin the history of such insects, as 
only come to full growth the season they are bred, and live 
through the winter, and breed the summer following, is when 
they emerge from the torpid state, and begin to breed ; but it 
might be thought that the common bee is an exception to this 
