The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-14
HsC EE 4 a n W.
SOCIAL ECONOMY OF A BEE HIVE

EOClhO ECO4NOTI1 Oc y BEE HIVE.
hive consist of the queen or mother bee, the
workers vary in numbers from 10000 to 10000
Or $4,000, and the males or drones from 700 to
double that number.
The queen is the parent OF the hive; and her sole
province and occupation consists IN laying the
eggs, from which riginate those prodigious null
titudes that people hive, and emigrate from 1t in
in the course of one summer. In the height OF the
season her fertility is truly astonishing, as she
laws not fewer than 200 eggs per day, and even
more when the season is particularly warm and
genial, and flowers are abundant; and this lay
ing continues, though at a gradually diminish
ing rate, till the approach of cold weather in
October.
An opinion has been entertained that the queen
is followed in her progress, through the hive by
anumber of her subjects formed in a circle round
her,~and these of course, have been regarded as
the queens body guards. The truth is, however,
that her bee majesty has no attendants, strictly
speaking; but wherever she moves, the workers
whom she meets in her way instantly and hurried
ly clear the way before her, and turning all their
heads towards their approaching sovereign, Law
ish their caresses upon her with much apparent
affection, and touch her softly withtheir autennee,
and these circumstanc es, which may be observed
every hour in the day, have given rise to the idea
Of guards. On one occasion we gave her sub
Jects an opportunity Of tesnfying their courage
zeal. Observing her laying eggs in the comb
next to the glass of the hive, we gently but
quickly opened the pane, and endeavored to seize
her. But as soon the removal of the glass
afforded room-while shut it was almost in con-
tact with her bac1-and, before we could ac-
complish our purpose, they threw their bodies
upon her to the number OF at least an hundred,
and formed cone over her of such magnitude,
that she could not be less than two inches dis
tant from any part Of the surface. We disper-
sed the mass with our finger, and got hold OF her
precious person, and kept looking at her for some
minutes before we restored the captive to her
alarmed defenders. 1t is remarkable that this
violence was not resented by them, though they
coursed over our haGd in scores, while we kept
hold of their mistress, not one individual used
its sting. The all expressing object was the
queen.
The mutual aversion of queens is a striking
feature in the natural history of this insect.
Their mutual enmity may be said to be an in
born disposition with them; for no sooner has the
first of the race, on a hive about to throw off a
second swarm, escaped from her own cradle,
than she hurries away IN search of her rivals,
and 0xerts herself with the utmost eagerness to
destroy them.
The workers, to the number of 10 600. &c, 900.
and even 10000, constitute the great mass OF
the population, and ON them devolve the whole
labors for the establishment. Theirs is the
Office of searching for and collecting the precious
food which not only furnishes their daily food,
IS well as that OF their young, and the surplus
of which is laid up for winter stores but also
the materials from which they rear their beau
tiful combs. In the little basket-sbaped ca yity
of their hind legs they bring home the pollen or
farinacieus dust OF flowers, kneaded by the help
of the morning dew into tiny balls, which form
an important ingredient in the nourishment of
the brood; and also propolis or adhesive gum
extracted from willows, ETC., with Which they
attach their combs to the upper part and sides OF
the hive, AID stop every crevice that might ad-
NIT the winters cold.
The natural term of the workers existence
does not extend, we think, beyond six or eight
months.
1t is the opinion OF Dr. Bevan that all the bees
brought into existence at the queens great lay
ing in the spring, die before winter. But many
never reach that period. Showers of rain, VIC
lent blasts of wind, sudden changes of atm IS
phere destroy them in hundreds. In the clear
cold mornings and evenings of autumn, their
eagerness for foraging entices them abroad early
and late; when lighting ON the ground, many are
chilled and quickly perish And should they
escape the blighting atmosphere at the close oil
autumn, a bright sunshine in winter day, when
the ground perhaps is covered with snow, brings
them abroad in multitudes, and the half OF them
never return.
The sole office of the male, or at least the
primary one, is to pair with the queen. He Is
the father of the hive. lndolent and luxurious:
he takes no part in the internal operations oil
the domicile, and never leaves it with view Of
sharing in the labors of the field. When he
does venture abroad, it is only in the finest wea.
Their, and during the warmest part OF the day
He is easily distinguished from the workers by
his large size, by his heavy motion in fight, anc
by his loud and humining sound. His life is ex
tremely short.