BREEDING. 
77 
any cause sufficient to make the existence of a swarm 
any way hazardous, the preparations are abandoned, 
and these young queens destroyed ; (I would here 
request the reader not to condemn me for telling more 
than I can prove, until he has had the whole story ; in 
the swarming season, I will give further particulars.) 
DRONES DESTROYED WHEN HONEY IS SCARCE. 
When an occurrence like the above happens, the 
drones next fall victims to the failure of honey. A 
brief existence only is theirs ; such as are perfect, are 
destroyed without mercy; those in the chrysalis state 
are often dragged out, and sacrificed to the necessities 
of the family. Such as are allowed to hatch, instead 
of being fed and protected as they would be if honey 
was abundant, are allowed, while yet weak from the 
effects of hunger, to wander from the hive, and fall to 
the earth by hundreds. These effects attend only a 
scarcity in the early part of the season. The massacre 
of July and September is quite different. The drones 
then have age and strength — an effort is apparently 
first made by the workers to drive them out without 
proceeding to extremes ; they are harassed sometimes 
for several days ; the workers feigning only to sting, 
or else they cannot, as I never succeeded in seeing but 
very few dispatched in that way ; yet there is evi- 
dence proving beyond doubt that the sting is used. 
Hundreds will often be collected together in a com- 
pact body at the bottom of the hive ; this mutua. 
protection affording a few hours’ respite from their tor- 
mentors, who do not cease to worry them. In a few 
