Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1832-08-02
From. thr Iron Bmdees.

i took my book and sat 00WnsHeaF UiS1ns
in order to read the work and ut the same
time take such notice of the bees as the
subiect might direct me to- ] must con-
fass. Mr.. Editor, that before / had gone
half through my book. discovered that |
had lived thus farthrongh life almost wholly
ignorant OF that which I had long consider
ed myself we'll informed-the history At
the bee. AS a specimen of the work.
wish, Mr.. Editor, you would publish the
following extracts which have made
from it respecting the Queen Bee. and her
implacable hostility to her rivals. ... e..
" Each hive or colony, or population OF
hive, contains three different kinds of
bees-females, males, and workers. .The
females arc called queens, not more than
one of which can ever live in the same hive,
and no hive or colony can snbsist long
without her presence. Tho males" Of
which there are hundreds, and sometimes
thousands, are called drones, and the re-
mainder, being by far the largest number,
are denominated workers, or neuters, from
being supposed to belong to neither SEX,
The males perform no functions but that
Of perpetuating their race; the workers
collect the honey from the wax, build their
combs, watch over the growth and supply
the necessities Of the young BROOD"
"The sole function of the queen bee is
to perpetuate her species. In addition to
the peculiarities exhibited in propagating
her young, she is marked by others Of the
most conspicuous description. She is
watched and attended to-; and to judge
from appearances, sheltered and respected
by the workers. Groups Of them con-
stan,ly attend her; they supply her with
honey brush and lick her limbs; when-
ever she moves, they recede before her
and, according to the united sentiments Of
all who have studied bees, pay her what
would be called real homage, could we al
low them the prerogative understanding.
She is the object of the greatest attach
ment |; her presence inspires them with
new instinct, and animates them to labor
the permanent existence Of queen, in
short, is the only security Of the work.
ers. Some persons have been Known to
have complete command of power over
bees, and can make whole swarm follow
them from place to place, without injury to
themselves or spectators but the whole
secret consists in having obtained posses
sion of the queen. Those accustomed TO
handle bees with address can easily seize
the queen, and then, as during swarming,
little is to be apprehended from the bees
attempting to sting. Though the queen
lays several eggs, which will be Successive
ly transformed into queens, only one in its
perfect state can exist in swarm plu-
rality seems equally adverse to the inten-
tons of nature, as total defect. Hence
it follows, that of two coming at the same
time into existence, one must die for the
welfare of community. Nature has inspired
queens with the most deadly luminosity and
the most Unsuitable thirst for each others
life, which nothing but death can appease.
Mr.. Huber relates the following remark
able combats of queens. In one of fis
hives fittest for observation, two young
queens left their cells almost at the same
moment. Whenever they observed each
other, they rushed together apparently
Will, great fury, and came in such posi-
ton. that the antenna were mutually seized
by their fangs. The head. breast, and belly
of the one, were opposed to the head. breast
and belly Of the other. The extremity
of their bodies had only to be curved, that
they might be reciprocally pierced with
the stings, and both fall dead together
But nature has not decreed that the two
combatants should perish in the duel !;
when in the condition now described, they
separate, and retreat with the utmost pre-
cipitation and when these rivals felt their
cxtremities about to meet, they diseHgag-
ed themselves, and each fed away. A few
minutes after separating, however, their
mutual terror ceased, and they again be-
gan to seek each other. Immediately on
coming in sight, they again rushed togeth-
or, seized one another, aud resumed exact
ly their former position. The result Of this
rencounter was the same. When their be!-
lies approached, they hastily diseDgaged
themselves, and precipitately retreated.---
During all this time, the workers were in
great agitation; and the tumula seemed to
increase, when the adversaries separated.
Twice they interrupted the fight Of the
queens, seized their limbs, and retained
them prisoners about minute. At last
the queen which was either the strongest
or the most enraged, daried ON her rival
at q moment when unperceived, and with
her fanes, took hold Of the origin. with
her wing, then rising above her, she curv-
cd her own body, and inflicted mortal
wound. She withdrew her sting, and like
wise quilted her hold of the wing she had