224 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
the Fall. At this season, or as soon as forage fails, such 
stocks may usually be detected by the incessant attempts 
of other colonies to rob them. 
The neglect of a colony to expel its drones, when they 
are destroyed in other hives, is always a suspicious sign, 
and generally an indication that it has no queen. Healthy 
stocks almost always destroy the drones , as soon as 
forage becomes scarce. In the vicinity of Philadelphia, 
there were only a few days in June, 1858, when it did not 
rain, and in that month the drones were destroyed in most 
of the hives. When the weather became more propitious, 
others were bred to take their place. In seasons when 
the honey-harvest has been abundant and long protracted, 
I have known the drones to be retained, in Northern 
Massachusetts, until the 1st of November. If bees could 
gather honey and could swarm the whole year, the 
drones would probably die a natural death. 
The importance of preventing the over-production of 
drones has been corroborated by the discovery of Mr. P. 
J. Mahan, that those leaving the hive have quite a largo 
drop of honey in their stomachs — while those returning 
from their pleasure excursions, having digested their 
dinners, are prepared for a new supply.* 
“ The drone,” says quaint old Butler, “ is a gross, sting¬ 
less bee, that spendeth his time in gluttony and idleness. 
For howsoever he brave it, with his round velvet cap, his 
side gown, his full paunch, and his loud voice, yet is ho 
but an idle companion, living by the sweat of others’ brows. 
* Aristotle (History of Animals, Book IX., Chap. XI.), speaks of the irregular 
and thick combs built by some stocks, and the superabundance of drones issuing 
from them. lie notices, also, the destruction of the drones when bee-forage falls, 
and describes their excursions as follows“The drones, when they go abroad, rise 
into the air with a circular flight, as though to take violent exercise, and when they 
havo taken enough, return home, and gorgo themselv^ with honey.” Columella 
•ays, that the proper time for removing the surplus honoy is when the bees expel 
khe drones. 
