The Delaware register, or, Farmers', manufacturers' & mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1829, 1828-11-22

which bees are exposed.
Can any one, who considers all these casualties,
suppose that the instinct in bees is defective, to
allow SO important member of the community, and
the only of the kind too to leave the hive and
the immense risk that would attend excursion in
the air? 1t is well established fact, that one queen
lays all the eggs of the hive that part of the daily
duties of the working bees is to nourish the young
BROOD which, if there were no queen, they could not
do, as there would be eggs. If the bees dis
turbed in their regular routine of business, they be-
come uneasy and incapable of proceeding. When
they return from the nectary of flowers, with the usu-
al quantity of sweet huid they hasten to besow the
first or uppermost part of honey on the larvae and
young bees and when this simple, undigested liquid is
disposed of they deposit that, which has gone through
certain chymlca process, in the cells.
If, therefore, entering the hive, they find no
queen, they about anxious and distressed drop the
little pellets of pollen that attached to their legs,
strike their antenne against another, and are
great agitation during the day. Sometimes two days
passed in this restless state, before they make an
effort to repair their loss.
If the queen bee to leave the hive, as Huber
and others fancy she would great risk being
able to return to it. Even around the apiary, before
she had made the usual evouons in the air. common
to all bees on leaving the hive, she might become the
prey of of the many Birds that are lowering over
head or on the watch The bluebird, the king bird,
ana the cat-Dlfd swallow bees by dozens while the
wing and the queen bee would have less chance Of
escape, as she is larger and therefore conspcr-
ous and is besides very slow and heavy in her notions
her wings being smaller in proportion to her body
than those of the working bee and the drone
From our own observations, therefore, as well as
from the above differences, must believe that the
queen bee leaves the hive but for the establish
ment of a new colony.
The next material point of dispute is, whether it be
In the power Of the working bees to convert the lar
va OF working bee into that of a queen, when by
accident the hive is deprived of one. According to
the most accurate naturasts, the organization of the
queen, or mother bee is different from that of either
the drone or the neuters. 1t appears to quite as
rational and philosophical to suppose, that queen bee
could be converted into neuter, and therefore that
all bees at irs were of the shape and organic sruc-
ture OF the queen, as to suppose that neer or wor-
King bee could have new organs added new curves
given to its limbs, and new instincts TO its nature
If we could see the interior of hive whenever II
suited Our convenience, should not be SO lost in
conjecture but the irrtability of these little insects
prevents constant and minute internal inspection.
1t is part OF their instinct to know that hght heat
cold and moiS1e, in an undue and lnaccustomed de.
gree, preiudcial to tie formation of wax to the
coDsistence of the honey, and the health of the brood
They therefore all tire little arts and advantages
uey possess, to prevent any one from exposing them
10 ae injurious influence of fdese active powers.
"hen queen bee ceases TO animate the hive, the
ees are conscious of her loss after searching for her
ough tne hive, for day or more, they examine the
Foyal ces' which of peculiar construction and
f"erSed IN POSITION hanging vertically, with the mouth