The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-09-20
TmE QuErN lii.



One Of the most Interesting aud curious
little creatures in the insect world Is the Hon
ey bee'~ For many hundred years tho habits
OF these wonderful insects have been careful
/ ly studied. S0me persons hAve spent their
days In Observing these littla animals
] Every association Of bees has three kinds
the queen, the drones, and the workers. IL
ia estimated that hive usually contains from
six 20 twelve thousand beeG In some small
/ hives, however. tho number IL much less than
/ NIX thousand, while large ones haye been
known 10 have NJ many a. twenty thousand.
There 10 only ono queen bee in each swarm
whether large or small. The average pro-
portion Of dronea IL about fifty to each thou
sand working bees Hence, about nineteen
twentieths ofthe bees in every hive are work
ers
Tux DHoNE.
The Drones arr the largest bees In the
family. Their bodies are thick, short aud
clumsy, aud they are about the size OF two
working bees. Their wings are large and
long, aud they make loud, buzzing noise
when nying They have no sting and may
be handled without hAHn.
The droneS are the male bees They live
y life Of idleness, taking no part in tho labor
OF the hive. They indeed have not the pow
or 10 collect honey, or TO provide themselves
with food. They have neither boney-bags,
such as tho workers have, 10 contain collect
cd sweets, nor cavities upon their legs for the
pollen.
wcro the dronc deprived Of the privilege
Of feeding on the stores of the hive IL would
die. In one respect they have moro liberty
than the workers, for they are permitted 10
enter any hive aud live in the same manner
n in their own.
Tho droncs appear In the hives during the
latter part Of May, aud are usually killed or
driven out 10 starvc ia the month of July
Sometimes few are permitted TO remain
much later in the season.
THE QUEEN Brr,
The Queen Is the mother Of the iamily,and
governs the hive. She is longer and more
slender than the drone, hut not MS large, and
is larger in every respect than tho worker
Her legs are longer, but her wings are short
er in proportion than those of the dronc or
worker
The queen is seldom seen. Sometimes she
may be seen during the time of swarming.--
She may occasionally be found in her royal
cell, when the bees have been destroyed with
smoke for the purpose of obtaining their hon.
ey.
The queen is majestic in her movements,
and is accompanied by guard composed Of
twelve workers This attendance is taken
IN turn, aud mover ncglected- -Nhnnexer-
she goes the guards clear her path, always
turning their faces toward her with the great.
est respect
She is armed with sting, but seldom uses
10 except against rival queens. She may be
taken ia tho bare hand, and will seldom sting
when handled carefully a worker, when
taken in the same manner, would be dropped
! like piece Of hot iron
| The chief office Of the queen is 10 Law eggs,
one Of which she deposits in one cell These
eggs are OF two kinds--drouc eggs and work.
er eggs. When worker is deposited in a
royal cell il becomes queen bee. There are
seldom moro than five or ten Of these eSlls in
any hive
RoYAL CELL.
The queen usually commences laying as
soon the genial warmth OF spring corUes on
I About the ffrsT OF May her '''grcut laying
takes place, when she deposits from one to
two hundred eggs per day, In warm eli
mates this period may take place earlier.
At hrst she deposits only worker-c9cs, then
Sha lays drone eggs for a few DAYS, aud eflcr
the time of laying the drons Sssss the ro,cl
cells are built; aud when the queen tS"!lpSs'
ces laying workcr-cggs for the second time,
she deposits every aSw days, one OF these eglgs
in a royal cell, aud from these queens, arc
! produced -,.
, The drones are produced from fhe eggs in
/ twenty -four rays,the workers in twenty days,
: and the queen in sixtoen days. IN
Though young qneen bee has attained its
, growth, the workers will not allow it 70 come
ont of the cell as long as the old queen re-
= mains in the hivo. Should the young queen
effect her escape from the cell, the old one
o would seize and kill her Immediately.
When the young queen has attained her
growth, aud begins 10 say peep, peep, the
: old one, knowing it to be the cry of rival
/, for liberty, is aroused, and attempts 90 get at
It the royal cell TO destroy its inmate. But the
4 l.. a. aNIn M
c finding that she no longer has absolute au-
l. ,hority in the family, sbe commences a sud
d den vibration of her wings, runs over every
,s part OF the combs, followed by her suhJeots
8 aud great commotion ensues-
d When notice has been fairly communicated
s. TO the whole family, the queen rushes towarc
p the outlet, the word is given to swarm, and a
l. way go the workers,a IL pursued by ten thou
c sand foes. f-. t..a
IN While swarmina they cluster around th'
" queen, and wherever she nlights there TIN
h. whole company Immediately settle. The OLE
10 queen always flies off with the first swarm
10 After the old queen has thus left the hiv
r, the workers release the yoeng one. She come
a forth strong and full Of energy, and at ono
is assumes the government Of the colony. IL
IF there be vet enough of workers left so tina
1e another swarm can be spared, the royal cell
N. are still guarded by the workers
ry When this queen hears the peep offs youn
cd rival Just ready TO escape from her cell, sh
a attempts its destruction, and If ifprevented b
G. the workers, follows the example of her pre-
be decessor and leaves the hive TO another swarm
n After this the second young queen is reieai
ny ed, and takes the government Of the family.
n IL, however the workers decide, after
of swarm has left, that no more can be spare
IN from their colony, the young queen Is perm
ct, ted TO visit all the cells and destroy the IL
m mates, thus preventing any rivals. 1890
us A most extraordinary fact 10 the histor
of the bee is, that il deprived oe a qpee
-r, when there are no queen or eggs in tho roy
rts cells, they take the laryA Of worker, pla,
on it in a ROYAL cell, or build one OF these eel