BREEDING.
IMPERFECTLY UNDERSTOOD.
The time that bees commence raising their young brood is but
imperfectly understood by most people. Many persons that have kept them
for years, have bestowed so little attention on this point, that they
are unable to tell at what time they commence, how they progress, or
when they cease. A kind of an idea that one swarm, and occasionally two
or three, are reared sometime in June, or fore part of summer, is about
the extent of their reflections on the subject. Whether the drones
deposit the eggs, or that a portion of the workers are females, and
each raise a young one or two, or whether the "king bee" is the chap
for laying eggs, is a matter beyond their ability to answer. It is but
a few years since, that a correspondent of a Journal of Agriculture
denied the existence of a queen bee, giving the best reasons he had, no
doubt, that is, he had never seen one. But bee-keepers of this class
are so few, it is unnecessary to waste time to convince them; suffice
it to say, that a queen exists with every prosperous swarm, and all
apiarians with much pretensions to science, acknowledge the fact, also,
that she is the mother of the whole family.
The period at which they commence depositing eggs probably depends on
the strength of the colony, amount of honey on hand, &c., and not the
time they commence gathering food.
GOOD STOCK SELDOM WITHOUT BROOD.
I once removed the bees from a hive on the tenth of January, and found
brood amounting to about five hundred, sealed over, and others in every
stage of growth down to the egg.
This hive had been in the house, and kept warm; it will doubtless be
supposed that being kept warm was the cause; but this is not a solitary
instance. A neighbor lost a hive the fourteenth February, in weather
cold enough to seal the entrance with ice, and smother the bees. I
assisted to remove the combs, and found young brood in abundance, from
the perfect bee, through all stages of growth. This stock had been in
the cold all winter. I have further noticed, when sweeping out the
litter under the hives early in spring, say the first of March, that
young bees would often be found under the best stocks. Hence it appears
there is but little time, and perhaps none, when our best stocks have
no broods. Yet stocks, when very weak, do not commence till warm
weather. It seems that a certain degree of warmth is necessary to
perfect the brood, which a small family cannot generate.
HOW SMALL STOCKS COMMENCE.
The first eggs are deposited in the centre of the cluster of bees, in a
small family; it may not be in the centre of the hive in _all_ cases;
but the middle of the cluster is the warmest place, wherever located.
Here the queen will first commence; a few cells, or a space not larger
than a dollar, is first used, those exactly opposite on the same comb
are next occupied. If the warmth of the hive will allow, whether mild
weather produces it, or the family be large enough to generate that
which is artificial, appears to make no difference; she will then take
the next combs exactly corresponding with the first commencement but
not quite as large a place is used as in the first comb. The circle of
eggs in the first is then enlarged, and more are added in the next,
&c., continuing to spread to the next combs, keeping the distance to
the outside of the circle of eggs, to the centre or place of beginning,
about equal on all sides, until they occupy the outside comb. Long
before the outside comb is occupied, the first eggs deposited are
matured, and the queen will return to the centre, and use these cells
again, but is not so particular this time to fill so many in such exact
order as at first. This is the general process of small or medium sized
families. I have removed the bees from such, in all stages of breeding,
and always found their proceedings as described.
DIFFERENT WITH LARGER ONES.
But with very large families, their proceedings are different: as any
part of the cluster of bees is warm enough for breeding, there is less
necessity for economizing heat, and having all the eggs confined to one
small spot, some unoccupied cells will be found among the brood; a few
will contain honey and bee-bread.
HOW POLLEN IS STORED IN THE BREEDING SEASON.
But in the height of the breeding season, a circle of cells nearly all
bee-bread, an inch or two wide, will border the sheets of comb
containing brood. As bee-bread is probably the principal food of the
young bee, it is thus very convenient.
When pollen is abundant, and the swarm is in prosperous condition, they
soon reach the outside sheets of comb with the brood. At this period,
when the hive is about full, and the queen is forced to the outside
combs to find a place for her eggs, it is interesting to witness
operations in a glass hive. I have seen her several times during one
day, on the same piece of comb (next the glass). The light has no
immediate effect on her "Highness," as she will quietly continue about
her duty, not the least embarrassed by curious eyes at the window.
Before depositing an egg, she enters the cell head first, probably to
ascertain if it is in proper condition to receive it; as a cell part
filled with bee-bread or honey is never used. If the area of combs is
small, or the family is small, and cannot protect a large space with
the necessary heat, she will often deposit two, and sometimes three, in
one cell (the supernumeraries I suppose are removed by the workers).
But under prosperous circumstances, with a hive of suitable size, &c.,
this emergency is avoided.
OPERATION OF LAYING AND THE EGGS DESCRIBED.
When a cell is in a condition to receive the egg, on withdrawing her
head she immediately curves her abdomen, and inserts it a few seconds.
After leaving it, an egg may be seen attached by one end to the bottom;
about the sixteenth of an inch in length, slightly curved, very small,
nearly uniform the whole length, abruptly rounded at the ends,
semi-transparent, and covered with a very thin and extremely delicate
coat, often breaking with the slightest touch.
After the egg has been about three days in the cell, a small white worm
may be seen coiled in the bottom, surrounded with a milky-like
substance, which is its food, without doubt. How this food is prepared,
is merely guess-work. The hypothesis of its being chiefly composed of
pollen, I have no objection to; as it is sufficiently proved by the
quantities that accumulate in hives that lose their queen, and rear no
brood (that is, when a requisite number of workers are so left). The
workers may be seen entering the cell every few minutes, probably, to
supply this food.[6]
[6] When the comb in our glass hive is new, and white, these
operations can be seen more distinctly than when very old and
dark.
TIME FROM THE EGG TO THE PERFECT BEE.
In about six days it is sealed over with a convex waxen lid. It is now
hidden from our sight for about twelve days, when it bites off the
cover, and comes forth a perfect bee. The period from the egg to the
perfect bee varies from twenty to twenty-four days; average about
twenty-two for workers, twenty-four for drones. The temperature of the
hive will vary some with the atmosphere; it is also governed by the
number of bees. A low temperature probably retards the development,
while a high one facilitates it. You may have seen accounts of the
assiduous attentions given to the young bee when it first emerges from
the cell: 'tis said they "lick it all over, feed it with honey," &c.,
desperately pleased with their new acquisition.
ROUGH TREATMENT OF THE YOUNG BEE.
Now, if you expect to see anything of this, you must watch a little
closer than I have. I have seen hundreds when biting their way out.
Instead of care or notice, they often receive rather rough treatment:
the workers, intent on other matters, will sometimes come in contact
with one part way out the cell, with force sufficient to almost
dislocate its neck; yet they do not stop to see if any harm is done, or
beg pardon. The little sufferer, after this rude lesson, scrambles back
as soon as possible out of the way; enlarges the prison door a little,
and attempts again, with perhaps the same success: a dozen trials are
often made before they succeed. When it does actually leave, it seems
like a stranger in a multitude, with no friend to counsel, or mother to
direct. It wanders about uncared for and unheeded, and rarely finds one
sufficiently benevolent to bestow even the necessaries of life; but
does sometimes. It is _generally_ forced to learn the important lesson
of looking out for itself, the day it leaves the cradle. A cell
containing honey is sought for, where its immediate wants are all
supplied.
GUESS WORK.
The time before it is ready to leave the hive for honey, I might guess
would be two or three days. Others have said "it would leave _the day
it left the cell_;" but I guess they guess at this point. They tell us,
too, that after the bees seal over the cells containing the larvae,
"they immediately commence spinning their cocoons, which takes just
about thirty-six hours." I think it very likely; but when I admit it, I
cannot imagine how it was ascertained;--the faculty of looking through
a mill-stone I do not possess, and it requires about the same optical
penetration to look into one of these cells after it is sealed over, as
it is all perfect darkness. Suppose we drive away the bees and open the
cell, to give us a look at the interior: the little insect stops its
labor in a moment, probably from the effect of air and light. I never
could detect one in its labor. Suppose we open these cells every hour
after sealing; can we tell anything about their progress by the
appearance of these cocoons, or even tell when they are finished? The
thickness of a dozen would not exceed common writing paper. When a
subject is obscure, or difficult to ascertain, like this, why not tell
us how they found out the particulars; and if they were guessed at, be
honest, and say so? When the bee leaves the cell, a cocoon remains, and
that is about all we _know_ about it.
TERMS APPLIED TO YOUNG BEES.
The young bee, when it first leaves the egg, is termed grub, maggot,
worm, or larva; from this state it changes to the shape of the perfect
bee, which is said to be three days after finishing the cocoon; from
the time of this change, till it is ready to leave the cell, the terms
nymph, pupa, and chrysalis, are applied. The lid of the drone's cell is
rather more convex than that of the worker's, and when removed by the
young bee to work its way out, is left nearly perfect; being cut off
around the edges, a good coat or lining of silk keeps it whole; while
the covering of the worker's cell is mostly wax, and is pretty well cut
to pieces by the time the bee gets out. The covering to the queen's
cell is like the drone's, but larger in diameter, and thicker, being
lined with a little more silk.
DISCREPANCY IN TIME IN REARING BROOD AS GIVEN BY HUBER.
We are told by most writers, the period of time necessary to perfect
from the egg, the three different kinds of bees. Huber leads the way,
and the rest, _supposing him to be right_, repeat in substance his
account as follows: That the whole time necessary to perfect a queen
from the egg is sixteen days, the worker twenty, and the drone
twenty-four days; Huber (as quoted by Harpers) gives the time of each
stage of development belonging to each kind of bee; but is rather
unfortunate in arithmetic; the items, or stages, when added together,
"do not prove," as the school-boys say; that is, he gains time by
making his bee by degrees. He says, first, of the worker, "It remains
three days in the egg, five in the grub state, it is thirty-six hours
in spinning its cocoon; in three days it changes to a nymph, passes six
in that form, and then comes forth a perfect bee." How do the items add?
The egg, 3 days.
Grub, 5 "
Spinning cocoon, 1-1/2 "
Changing to a nymph, 3 "
In that form, 6 "
-------
18-1/2 days.
One and a half days short. We will next see how the figures with the
royal insect match; recollect sixteen days are all she has allowed;
then, of the different stages, "three days in the egg, is five a worm,
when the bees close its cell, and it immediately begins its cocoon,
which is finished in twenty-four hours. During eleven days, and even
sixteen hours of the twelfth, it remains in a state of complete repose.
Its transformation into a nymph then takes place, in which state four
days and part of the fifth are passed." Now let us add the items:
The egg, 3 days.
A worm, 5 "
Spinning a cocoon, (24 hours), 1 "
Reposes eleven days and 16 hours, 11-2/3 "
A nymph four days, and part of the fifth, 4-1/3 "
-------
25 days.
Now, reader, what do you make of such palpable blundering guess-work? A
difference of nine days--the merest school-boy ought to know better!
Can we rely on such history? Does it not prove the necessity of going
over the whole ground, applying a test to every assertion, and a
revision of the whole matter throughout? My object is not to find
fault, but to get at _facts_. When I see such guess-work as the above
published to the world, in this enlightened age, gravely told to the
rising generation, as a portion of natural history, I feel it a duty
not to resist the inclination to expose the absurdity.
THE NUMBER OF EGGS DEPOSITED BY THE QUEEN GUESSED AT.
The number of eggs that a queen will deposit is often another point of
guess-work. When the estimate does not exceed 200 per diem, I have no
reason to dispute it; the number will probably fall short in some
cases, and exceed it in others. Some writers suppose that this number
"would never produce a swarm, as the bees that are lost daily amount
to, or even exceed that number," and give us instead from eight hundred
to four thousand eggs in a day, from one queen. The only way to test
the matter accurately, is by actually counting, in an observatory hive,
or in one with sufficient empty combs to hold _all the eggs_ she will
deposit for a few days, when, by removing the bees, and counting
carefully, we might ascertain, and yet several would have to be
examined, before we could get at the average. The nearest I ever came
to knowing anything about it happened as follows: A swarm left, and the
queen from some cause was unable to cluster with it, and was found,
after some trouble, in the grass a few rods off. She was put in the
hive with the swarm about 11 o'clock, A.M.; the next morning, at
sunrise, I found on the bottom-board, among the scales of wax, 118 eggs
that had been discharged in that time. Probably a few escaped notice,
as the color is the same as wax scales; also, they might already have
had combs containing some. I have several times found a few the next
morning, under swarms hived the day previous, but never over thirty,
except in this one instance. The reason of this queen not being able to
fly well might have been an unusual burden of eggs. Perhaps it would be
as well to mention here, that in all cases where eggs are found in this
way, that they must be first swarms which are accompanied by the old
queens.
Schirach estimates "the eggs a single female will lay, from 70,000 to
100,000 in a season." Reaumer and Huber do not estimate so high.
Another writer estimates 90,000, in three months. Let the number be as
it may, probably thousands are never perfected. During the spring
months, in medium and small families, where the bees can protect with
animal heat but a few combs, I have often found cells containing a
plurality of eggs, two, three, and occasionally four, in a single cell.
These supernumeraries must be removed, and frequently may be found
amongst the dust on the bottom-board.
A TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF A QUEEN.
If you have a hive that you suspect has lost a queen at this season,
her presence can be ascertained nine times in ten by this method. Sweep
off the board clean, and look the next day or two after for these eggs.
Take care that ants, or mice, have no chance to get them; they might
deceive you, being as fond of eggs for breakfast as anyone.[7] When one
or more is found, or any immature bees, it is sufficient, no further
proof of the presence of a queen is needed.
[7] It is said that the bees will devour these eggs also.
Another portion of eggs is wasted whenever a supply of their food
fails; if we remove the bees from a stock during a scarcity, when the
hive is light, we will be very likely to find hundreds of eggs in the
cells, and but very few advancing from that stage towards maturity. I
have thus found it in the fall, in July, and sometimes the first of
June, or at any time when maturing the brood would be likely to exhaust
their stores, to endanger the family's supply. Now, instead of the
fertility of the queen being greater in spring and first of summer than
at other times, (as we are often told), I would suggest the probability
that a greater abundance of food at this season, and a greater number
of empty cells, may be the reason of the greater number of bees
matured.
WHEN DRONES ARE REARED.
Whenever the hive is well supplied with honey, and plenty of bees, a
portion of eggs are deposited in the drone-cells, which three or four
days more are necessary to mature than the worker.
WHEN QUEENS ARE REARED.
Also, when the combs become crowded with bees, and honey plenty, the
preparations for young queens commence: as the first step towards
swarming, from one to twenty royal cells are begun; when about half
completed, the queen (if all continues favorable) will deposit eggs in
them, these will be glued fast by one end like those for the workers;
there is no doubt but they are precisely the same kind of eggs that
produce other bees. When hatched, the little worm will be supplied with
a superabundance of food; at least, it appears so from the fact, that a
few times I have found a quantity remaining in the cell after the queen
had left. The consistence of this food is about like cream, the color
some lighter, or just tinged with yellow. If it was thin like water, or
even honey, I cannot imagine how it could be made to stay in the upper
end of an inverted cell of that size in such quantities as are put in,
as the bees often fill it near half full. Sometimes a cell of this kind
will contain this food, and no worm to feed upon it. I _guessed_ the
bees had compounded more than their present necessities required, and
that they stored it there to have it ready, also, that being there all
might know it was for royalty.
[Illustration: PLATE OF THE THREE KINDS OF CELLS.]
The taste is said to be "more pungent" than food given to the worker,
and the difference in food changes the bee from a worker to a queen. I
have nothing to say against this hypothesis; it may be so, or the young
bee being obliged to stand on its head may effect it, or both causes
combined may effect the change. I never tasted this food, or found any
test to apply.
The preceding plate represents a piece of comb containing all the
different cells--those at the left hand the size for drones. In the
centre are few that appear sealed over, others nearly covered, others
the larva in different stages of growth, as well as the eggs. _Fig. 1_
represents a queen's cell just commenced. They are usually started thus
far the first season, very frequently when the hive is only half or
two-thirds full. _Fig. 2_ is a cell sufficiently advanced to receive
the egg. _Fig. 3_ one finished, the stage when the first swarm leaves.
_Fig. 4_ when a queen has been perfected and left. _Fig. 5_ is a cell
where its occupant has been destroyed by a rival, and removed by the
workers. It will be perceived that each finished queen's cell contains
as much wax as fifty made for the workers.
LIABILITY OF BEING DESTROYED.
In any stage from the egg to maturity these royal insects are liable to
be destroyed;--if honey fails from any cause sufficient to make the
existence of a swarm any way hazardous, the preparations are abandoned,
and these young queens destroyed; (I would here request the reader not
to condemn me for telling more than I can prove, until he has had the
whole story; in the swarming season, I will give further particulars.)
DRONES DESTROYED WHEN HONEY IS SCARCE.
When an occurrence like the above happens, the drones next fall victims
to the failure of honey. A brief existence only is theirs; such as are
perfect, are destroyed without mercy; those in the chrysalis state are
often dragged out, and sacrificed to the necessities of the family.
Such as are allowed to hatch, instead of being fed and protected as
they would be if honey was abundant, are allowed, while yet weak from
the effects of hunger, to wander from the hive, and fall to the earth
by hundreds. These effects attend only a scarcity in the early part of
the season. The massacre of July and September is quite different. The
drones then have age and strength--an effort is apparently first made
by the workers to drive them out without proceeding to extremes; they
are harassed sometimes for several days; the workers feigning only to
sting, or else they cannot, as I never succeeded in seeing but very few
dispatched in that way; yet there is evidence proving beyond doubt that
the sting is used. Hundreds will often be collected together in a
compact body at the bottom of the hive; this mutual protection
affording a few hours' respite from their tormentors, who do not cease
to worry them. In a few days they are gone, and it is a hard matter to
tell what has become of them, at least the majority. If the hive in
September is well supplied with honey, a portion of the drones have a
longer lease of life given them; I have seen them as late as December.
In some seasons, when the best hives are poorly supplied with stores,
the ensuing spring the bees will rear no drones, until the flowers
yield a good supply. I have known one or two years in which no drones
appeared before the last of June; at other times, thousands are matured
by the first of May.
OLD QUEEN LEAVES WITH THE FIRST SWARM.
The old queen leaves with the first swarm; as soon as cells are ready
in the new hive she will deposit her eggs in them, at first for
workers; the number perfected will correspond with the supply of honey
and size of the swarm. When the supply fails before leaving the old
stock, she remains _there_, and continues laying throughout the season;
but the bees matured after the 20th of July (in this section) are not
more than sufficient to keep the number good. As many die, or are lost
during their excursions, as the young ones will replace; in fact, they
often lose rather than gain; so that by the next spring, a hive that
has cast no swarm, is no better for a stock than one from which a swarm
has issued. We are apt to be deceived by bees clustering outside,
towards the latter end of the season, and suppose it hardly possible
for them all to get in, when it may be caused by hot weather, full
stores, &c.
A YOUNG QUEEN TAKES THE PLACE OF HER MOTHER IN THE OLD STOCK.
In ordinary circumstances, when a swarm has left a stock, the oldest of
the young queens is ready to emerge from her cell in about eight or
nine days; if no second swarm is sent out, she will take her mother's
place, and begin to lay eggs in about ten days, or a little less. Two
or three weeks is the only time throughout the whole season, but what
eggs can be found in all prosperous hives. Whenever a copious yield of
honey occurs, drones are reared; as it becomes scarce, they are
destroyed.
The relative number of drones and workers that exist when they are most
numerous, doubtless depends on the size of the hive, whether one in
ten, or one in thirty.
When a swarm is first hived, the first cells are the size for working;
if the hive be very small, and bees numerous, it may be filled before
they are fully aware of it, and but few drone-cells constructed;
consequently, but few can be raised; whereas if the hive be large, long
before it is full, considerable honey will be stored. Cells for storing
honey are usually the size for drones; these will be made as soon as
the requisite number for workers is provided. An abundant yield of
honey during the process of filling a large hive, would therefore cause
a great proportion of these cells to be built--the amount of
drone-brood being governed by the same cause, is a strong argument
against large hives, as affording room for too many of these cells,
where an unnecessary number of drones will be reared, causing a useless
expenditure of honey, &c.
OTHER THEORIES.
Theories differing materially from the foregoing, are advanced by
nearly all writers. One says, "In spring the queen lays about 2,000
eggs of males, resumes it again in August, but during the rest of the
intervals she exclusively lays worker eggs. The queen must be at least
eleven months old before she begins to lay the eggs of males." Mr.
Townley makes the same assertion. Dr. Bevan says, "the great laying of
drone eggs usually commences about the end of April." Another author
repeats about the same, and appears to have investigated farther, as he
has found out that the eggs for the two kinds of bees are germinated
separately, and the queen knows when each kind is ready, as well as the
workers, &c. Now, I beg leave to differ a little from these authors.
Either there exists no difference in the eggs germinated, and any, or
all will produce drones or workers, just as they happen to be deposited
and fed; or else the periods of laying drone eggs are much more
frequent than any writer with which I am acquainted has been willing to
allow.
SUBJECT NOT UNDERSTOOD.
I am not anxious to establish a new theory, but to get at facts. If we
pretend to understand natural history, it is important that we have it
correct; and if we do not understand it, say so, and leave it open for
further investigation. It is my opinion that we _know_ but very little
about this point. I wish to induce closer observation, and would
recommend no _positive_ decision, until all the facts that will apply
have been examined. Whether these drone-egg theories have been too
hastily adopted, the reader can decide; I shall offer a few more facts,
somewhat difficult to reconcile with them.
First, in relation to the queen being "eleven months old" before laying
drone eggs. We _all_ agree, I believe, that the old queen goes with the
first swarm, and a young one remains in the old stock. Now suppose the
first swarm leaves in June, and the old stock yet contains a numerous
family. The flowers of buckwheat in August yield a bountiful harvest of
honey. This old stock rears a large brood of drones. Is it not proved
in this case that the queen was but two months old, instead of eleven?
We further agree that young queens accompany second or after-swarms.
When these happen to be large and prosperous, they never fail to rear a
brood of drones at this season. What is the age of these? I apprehend
that this eleven months theory originated in sections where there are
no crops of buckwheat raised, or in small quantities. Clover generally
fails in August, and May, or June, of another year comes round, before
there is a sufficient yield to produce the brood. With these
observations _only_, how very rational to conclude that it must be a
law of their nature, instead of being governed by the yield of honey,
and size of the family? If the periods of drone egg laying are limited
to only two or three, it would seem that all queens ought to be ready
with this kind of egg, about the same period of the season, but how are
the facts?
I would like to inquire what becomes of the first series of drone eggs,
the last of April, or the first of May, when the stocks are poorly
supplied with honey, or when a family is small and but little honey
through the summer? No drone brood is matured in these cases. It is not
pretended that the queen has any control over the germination of these
eggs, yet somehow she has them ready whenever the situation of the hive
will warrant it. Two stocks may have an equal number of bees the first
of May; one may have forty pounds of honey, the other four pounds; the
latter cannot afford to rear a drone, while the other will have
hundreds. Let two stocks have but four pounds each at any time in
summer when honey is scarce, now feed one of them plentifully, and a
brood of drones is sure to appear, while the other will not produce
one. Whenever stocks are well stored with honey, and full of bees, the
first of May will find drone-cells containing brood. If the flowers
continue to yield a full supply, these cells may be examined every week
from that period till the first swarm leaves, and I will engage that
drone brood may be found in all stages from the egg to maturity; and
the worker brood the same. In twenty-four days after the first swarm
leaves, the last drone eggs left by the old queen will be just about
matured. When transferring bees from old to new hives, I generally do
it about twenty-one or twenty-two days after the first swarm, (this is
the time to avoid destroying the worker-brood; the particulars will be
given in another place.) I have transferred a great many, and _never
failed_ to find a few drones about ready to leave the combs. Whether
the swarm had left the last of May, or middle of July, there was no
difference, they were on hand.
A very early swarm in good seasons, will often fill the hive, and send
out an issue in from four to six weeks: the usual amount of drone-brood
may be found in these cases. The following circumstance would appear to
indicate that all the eggs are alike, and if they are laid in
drone-cells, the bees give the proper food and make drones; if in
worker-cells, workers, just as they make a queen from a worker-egg,
when put in a royal cell.
In a glass hive, one sheet of comb next the glass, and parallel with
it, was full size; about three-quarters of this sheet was worker-cells,
the remainder drone-cells. The family had been rather small, but now
had increased to a full swarm; a few drones had matured in the middle
of the hive. It was about the middle of June, 1850, when I discovered
the bees on this outside sheet, preparing it, as I thought, for brood,
by cutting off the cells to the proper length. They had been used for
storing honey, and were much too long, being about an inch and a half
deep. In a day or two after I saw a few eggs in both worker and
drone-cells; four or five days afterwards, on opening the door, I found
her "majesty" engaged in depositing eggs in the drone cells. Nearly
every one already contained an egg; most of these she examined, but did
not use them; six or eight, it appeared, were all that were unoccupied;
in each of these she immediately deposited an egg. She continued to
search for more empty cells, and in doing so, she got on the part of
the comb containing worker-cells, where she found a dozen or more
empty, in each of which, she laid one. The whole time perhaps thirty
minutes. Query? Was her series of drone eggs exhausted just at this
time? If so, it would appear that she was not aware of it, because she
examined several drone-cells after laying the last one there, before
leaving that part of the comb, and acted exactly as if she would have
used them had they not been pre-occupied. Did the worker-cells receive
some eggs that would have produced drones, but for the circumstance of
being deposited in worker-cells? I know we are told that an egg may be
transferred from a worker-cell to one for drones, or an egg taken from
a drone-cell and deposited in a worker-cell; that the exchange will
make no difference, the bee will be just what the first deposit would
have made it. How the knowledge for this assertion was obtained, we are
not informed, at least of the practical part. That an egg was ever
detached from the bottom of one cell safely and successfully deposited
in another, without breaking or injuring it in some manner, to make the
bees refuse it, permit me at present to doubt.
NECESSITY FOR FURTHER OBSERVATION.
Cannot some experiments, practicable to all, be instituted that will
throw more light on this subject? The old hypothesis of limiting
drone-egg laying to two or three periods, is evidently at fault.
TWO SIDES OF THE QUESTION.
If we suppose that the eggs are all alike, and the subsequent treatment
makes either workers, drones, or queens, and look to analogy for
support, we shall find much against, as well as for it. For instance,
we find in almost every department of animated nature, that the sex of
the germ of a future being is decided before being separated from the
parent, as the eggs of fowls, &c. Another fact, some queens (averaging
one in sixty or eighty) deposit eggs that produce only drones,[8]
whether in worker or drone-cells, proving that sex is decided in this
case beyond controversy. Hence it would appear reasonable, if sex was
decided by the ovaries of the queen, in one case, it would be in
another.
[8] I have had several such. It made no difference whether the
eggs were in the worker-cells or drone-cells, the brood was all
drones. When in the worker-cells, (and the majority was there,)
they required to be lengthened about one-third. In an occurrence
of this kind, the colony of workers will rapidly diminish in
number, until too few are left to protect the combs from the
moth. It occurs most frequently in spring, but I once had a case
the last of summer. The first indications are an unusual number
of caps, or covers of cells, being under and about the hive; the
workers, instead of increasing, grow less in number. When you
fear this state of things, make a thorough examination, blow
under the hive some tobacco smoke, as directed in pruning, invert
the hive, part the combs till you can see the brood; if the
worker-cells contain drones, they are readily perceived, as they
project beyond the usual even surface, being very irregular, here
and there a few, or perhaps but one sticking out. The worker-brood,
when in their own cells, form nearly an even surface; so of the
drones. The only remedy that I have found is to destroy this
queen, and substitute another, which can be obtained in the
swarming season, or in the fall, better than at other times. To
find the queen, paralyze with puff-ball, &c. For directions see
fall management.
To allow the bees the power of making three kinds of bees from one kind
of eggs, which would be virtually constituting a third sex, an anomaly
not often found. The drones being males, and workers imperfect females
with generative organs undeveloped, renders the anomaly of the third
sex unnecessary. On the other side it might be said in reply: That if
food and treatment would create or produce organs of generation in the
female, by making an egg destined for a worker into a queen, (a fact
which all apiarians admit,) why not food and treatment make the drone?
Is the difficulty of developing _one_ kind of sexual organs greater
than another?
Respecting the anomaly of the eggs of some queens producing only
drones, the question might be asked, Is this more of an anomaly than
that of ordinary queens which are said to germinate eggs in distinct
series? It is all out of the usual line. Other animals or insects
usually produce the sexes promiscuously. As we are ignorant of causes
deciding sex in any case, we must acknowledge mystery to belong to both
sides of the question here. The stumbling-block of more than two sexes,
which seems so necessary to make plain, is no greater here than with
some species of ants, that have, as we are told, king, queen, soldier
and laborer. Four distinct and differently formed bodies, all belonging
to one nest, and descended from one mother. Whether there are four
distinct kinds of eggs producing them, or the power is given to the
workers to develop such as are wanted, from one kind, we cannot say. If
we make two kinds of eggs, it helps the matter but very little. There
is still an anomaly. There is but one perfect female in a nest to
germinate eggs, and the myriads produced (being over 80,000 in
twenty-four hours, according to some historians) shows that the
fecundity of our queen-bee is not a parallel case by any means. And yet
they are similar, by having their offspring provided for without an
effort of their own.
I shall leave this matter for the present, hoping that _something
conclusive_ may occur in the course of my experiments, or those of
others. At present I am inclined to think that the eggs are all alike,
but am not fully satisfied.
I am aware that this matter is of but little value or interest to many,
but myself and a few others have "Yankee inquisitiveness" pretty well
developed, and would like to _know_ how it _was_ managed.
As for workers proving occasionally fertile, I have but little to say.
After years of close observation directed to this point, I have been
unable to discover anything to establish this opinion. Neither have I
found the black bees described by some authors. It is true that in the
middle or latter part of summer a portion will be much darker than
others, and perhaps rather smaller, and some of them with their wings
somewhat worn, probably the result of continued labor, peculiar food,
or some incidental circumstance.
I have a few times found a humble-bee under the hive, that had entered,
and not finding his way out readily, was speedily shorn of his
beautiful "locks," and consequently his strength--that is, every
particle of hair, down, feathers, bristles, or whatever he had been
covered with, was completely removed by the bees, who had no regard for
his beautiful alternating stripes of yellow and brown; which left him
the very picture of darkness.