Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/91

Rh small importance in bee-economy; for, were the Queen's cocoon completely to envelope her body, her destruction by her rivals would be rendered extremely difficult; the texture of the covering is so close, that the sting would be unable to penetrate it, or, if the attempt were made, it might be entangled by its barbs in the meshes of the cocoon, and the struggling female, unable to disengage it, would become the victim of her own fury. In spinning the cocoon, the Queen spends only 24 hours; she remains in a death-like torpidity between two and three days, is then metamorphosed into a nymph, and, after remaining in that state four days and a half, she comes forth a perfect Queen on the sixteenth day. In the case of the workers and males, the transformation is no sooner completed than they are at liberty to abandon the confinement of the cradle, and hasten,—the former, at least,—to partake of the labours of the community, and to range the fields and flower-gardens in the very plenitude of bee-enjoyment. But the case is different with the young Queens; like other sovereigns, they pay the tax of their high estate in having their inclinations put under restraint for the public good. The royal insect is not permitted to leave the cell, and, as generally happens, to lead off a swarm, unless the weather be very favourable. Were she to obtain her liberty, while, at the same time, emigration was prevented by the state of the external atmosphere, or other circumstances, there would be a plurality of Queens in the hive, and mortal strife would ensue. The young Queen, therefore, is detained a captive,