A DILIGENT WORKER 
13 
As autumn approaches, the queen lays fewer eggs, and by the 
end of September she has practically ceased. The hive has many 
more bees in it than when we saw it at the beginning of summer. As 
winter comes on, the bees become less and less] active and finally enter 
into a kind of stupor, remaining thus until spring. 
Winter past, let us visit our hive of bees again. The diligent little 
workers have shaken off their stupidity. The queen has started again 
to laying eggs. Many bees are flocking to the willows, violets, ane¬ 
mones, and other wild flowers, gathering honey. The drones, the 
idlers of the hive, help themselves to the best there is, and for pleasant 
slumbers select the coziest corner. They disport themselves on the 
comb, apparently content with their idle existence. 
As more baby bees are hatched, the hive becomes crowded. As 
time goes on, a new queen hatches and the old queen becomes restless. 
Her actions cause great trembling amjong the workers. She seems to 
be a jealous creature. She has heard the* piping of the baby queen and 
this fills her with murderous intentions. She goes forth to kill the 
baby queen. The wjorkers guard their baby queen, and if necessary 
heap wax] on the top of her cell to protect her. 
The old queen, in some way, makes known her feelings through¬ 
out the hive. General work is neglected and fewer bees are seen to 
leave and return from the hive. The occupants of the hive are about 
ready for a swarming. This takes place usually on a fine day. It is 
said a cloud passing over the sun may check the swarm. 
But at last the old queen, with about two thirds of the bees follow¬ 
ing her, rushes forth ready to start a new community. Soon a new 
queen emerges from her cell and is welcomed by the workers left in the 
old hive. The nurses caress her and brush and clean her body. In a 
few days she takes her wedding flight. This is the only time she leaves 
the hive, except when she| leads a swarm. 
The drones are her suitors, and there are many of them. But 
only the strongest can be the fortunate one. The queen has great power 
of flight, and as she soars higher and higher, the pursuing suitors be¬ 
come fewer and fewer until at last one only is left. With one embrace 
and a maddened whirl the marriage ceremony is completed. But al¬ 
most at that instant the groom drops dead, and the widowed queen 
returns to the hive to devote her time to her household duties—that of 
laying eggs. 
