Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-06-12
For the Freeman.
A Chat with Farmers.
No. 10.
BY AGRICOLA.

have spoken of the wonderful skill
and care with which the working bees
prepare the cells for the reception of the
queen bees royal eggs. They are entirely
different from the other cells. When they
are ready, the old queen goes from one to
the other, without rcpose, laying some two
hundred eggs daily. For ten or twelve
days, the eggs producing workers are laid
days, the eggs producing males are laid.
The eggs producing workers are, in num-
bers, as thirty to one compared with males
The royal cells next have attention. If the
productiveness of the season requires the
coronation of queen, this class of cells
are constructed. They are one third of
an inch wide and an inch deep. When
these cells are finished, the queen deposits
single egg in each, at one or two DAYS
intervals. Here we have wonderful ex-
ample of instinct, After the deposit of
the eggs producing females, in cells es
pccially fitted for the purpose, the workers
supply the cells with the pollen of flowers
for the food of the larvae which are to be
hatched. This pollen is mixed with honey
and water, and is partly digcsted in the
stomachs of the nursing bees, and distrib-
uted in quantities according to tile age of
the young. This is even more than hui
man foresight and care, still we call it in
stinct. Who dare say that it has not as
real elements of intellect us reason? These
eggs are Matched in three days, into small
white worms called larvH. The workers
and females remain in the condition of
worms for five days; the males, six and a
half days. At the end of this time, the
mouth of the cell is closed, and the larvae
begin to open a silken envelope which is
completed in thirty six hours In three days
more the Larvae are changed into chrysalis,
and on the twentieth day it energies from
its prison, Il perfect bee of the working
order. The males come forth on the
twenty-lourth day. Two days later this
bee is able to fly, having enjoyed the spe-
cial care of its nurse. The cells in which
its workers are produced are used several
times, being carefully cleaned as soon us
the insect escapes, but the royal cell in
which the queen is hatchcd is never used
but once. The young of the royal family
are more carefelly nursed than the work
ers or drones; hence they mature more
rapidly. In this way a large number Of
queen bees are Matched. Still, only one
can reign, as before stated. All the rest
are doomed to destruction. They are kept
in close confinement and guarded against
the attacks of the mother queen, as long
us there is any prospect of leading oul
another swarm from the hive. When it is
settled that no new swarm is TO be LED
out, the workers abandon their charge
and allow the old queen to bepin and
complete her work of destruction so far as
needed. She stings them to death in theil
own cells. From this it appears that in
the bee world utility is the main point. A
large number of queen bees are provided
for, like reserved troops, to meet an emer
gency. But as soon as it is found that
they are not needed, they are all extermi
mated. Suppose this principle should be
applied to the human race, what woulC
become of the "trampS? ="
One writer observes that the cells of the
royal larvB are open behind, and he be-
leves this to be II special arrangement tt
enable the queen to destroy the young, i
the enclosure was entire. When the ole
queen departs with her swarm a young
queen is liberated, which at once seeks the
destruction Of all other queens in the hive
This the guards do not allow her to &C
complish. If the new queen departs witt
Il new swarm, still another queen is liber
ated, and so on to the end of the swarmine
season.