Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/77

Rh lifeless remains out of the hive. There are cases, however, in which this destruction of males does not take place. "In hives that have lost their queen," says Huber, "the males are spared; and, while a savage massacre rages in other hives, they here find an asylum. They are tolerated and fed, and many are seen even in the middle of January." The cause of this may perhaps be looked for in the additional heat which they would generate in winter; or perhaps they may be preserved for the purpose of pairing with a new queen. On the Impregnation of the Queen-Bee.—In looking into a hive in spring or summer, the Queen will be seen laying eggs in the cells; in the smaller cells, those of workers, and in the larger those of males or drones. These eggs, if examined on the fourth day from their being deposited, will be found hatched, and a small worm produced, which is floating in a whitish liquid, ascertained to be food introduced for the nourishment of the infant brood; and in due time a perfect bee emerges from the cell. But how is this living animal generated? The Queen lays the egg without doubt, and the insect is evolved from it; but how is the egg, fecundated or rendered fertile? Has the Queen had personal union with the male? No one can speak positively to such a fact; by what other means, then, is this effect produced? The impregnation of the Queen-Bee is a branch of Natural History which has given rise to more discussion than almost any other fact, connected with