THE MASSACRE OF THE DRONES
We have already seen that the drones do no work in the hive, nor
do they gather nectar or pollen. They live a life of ease, feeding
upon the honey gathered by the workers, and it has been said that
each drone eats as much food as can be provided by four workers. You
may understand from this that the drones would quickly eat up the
provisions which have been gathered for the winter. The workers know
this too, and when the summer begins to go and the flowers to fade, the
drones will meet their fate. They are always under the power of the
workers, for besides eating honey, they are given chyle food, and were
the workers not to give them this, at the end of three days the drones
would die, even though there was plenty of honey around them.
It is not by starvation that the drones die, however, for they are
massacred by the bees. Some time about August, perhaps, when the bees
find that the honey is not coming in as fast as it used to, the step
will be taken, for they have now to think about the winter months which
are close at hand. If there are any drone cells in the hive with eggs
or grubs in them, the workers tear them open, the young drones are
dragged out, and their bodies thrown out of the door of the hive.
Although the other drones may see these proceedings they take no heed
of them, but continue to live their lazy life, and to eat their fill
of honey. But in a few days the signal for the massacre is given, and
the workers commence to put them to death. Throughout the hive may
be seen the workers chasing the drones over the combs which, but a
few days before, supplied them with honey. The drones have no sting,
nor any means of defence, so that they are absolutely at the mercy of
their pursuers. The bee-city is alive with the terrible cries of the
victims, and as the workers catch the drones they commence to bite off
their wings. Sometimes, too, they will even gnaw off the legs or the
antennæ or cut through the drone’s slender waist, their one idea being
to disable him. Some of the drones perhaps are able to escape from the
hive, and may seek refuge in flight, but after a few hours they are
back again. They cannot live without food, and as they have never done
any work, they do not know how to gather it. When they return, the
guard at the gate, which is always doubled at this time, savagely fall
upon and kill them. Some do not return to the hive, but these speedily
perish of cold when the night air comes on. The bees never sting the
drones in the struggle, for the sting, being barbed, would soon be
pulled out by the roots were it once inserted in the drone’s body. The
bodies of those that have been killed are carried out of the hive by
the undertakers, and a busy time they have, as you may imagine.
[Illustration: PLATE XXX
Half-an-hour after Plate XXIX]