THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1824, 5 November 1886, Page 8

THE APIARY.

Worker Bees. No. VII. The worker bees are not so large as either the queen or the drones. They are called the workers because all the work of the hive is done by them. Their short life is one ceaseless round of activity, ranging the fields by day in search of honey and pollen; at night and in bad weather building comb, clean ing out cells, capping the stored honey, feeding the young larvse, and always ready to sacrifice their lives in defence of their home and stores. For a long time the workers were supposed to be of neither sex, and were called neuter?, but it is established now that they are females, but owing to the different food supplied to them just after they hatch from the egg their ovaries are not developed, and they cannot therefore reproduce or perpetuate their species. Occasionally there is found in a hive which has been queenless for some time a worker laying eggs, but these eggs invariably hatch into drones, and the bee which produces them is called a fertile worker. It is supposed that these fertile workers must have had a portion of the specially prepared royal jelly supplied to them when in the larv® state. Bees when preparing to swarm often commence a number of queen cells, which are afterwards left unfinished, and it is easy to understand how under these circumstances a small portion of the royal jelly might be supplied to an embryo bee which was afterwards fed in the usual way.

The time taken for the full development of the worker is 21 days from the time the eggs are laid. The egg hatches on the third day. For seven days the young larvae is uncapped in ite cell and is being continually fed, and on the eleventh day it is sealed or capped over, and remains thus until it bites its way out a perfect insect. After merging from the cell it takes no part in the , work of the hive {for some days, and its first impulse is to help to care for and feed Jthe young larvsß. After about a week it begins to help in comb-building and secreting wax until about 14 days old, when it commences flying in search of honey and pollen; and from then until its death, if the colony is a good one, it probably does little else. Old age in bees may be recognised by the torn and worn out wings. Very few of them die in or near the hive, but they literally die in harness. Hundreds may be seen any day on the windward side of an apiary struggling to get home with their loads, and settling for a rest on the leaves of bushes and even on the road. Lift them, and you will see that their bodies are elongated to the fullest extent with their loads of honey. Throw them in the air, and they will make another effort ; but they are done. And it is no doubt better so, for were the thousands of bees which daily succumb to die in or near the hive, the decaying mass would very soon threaten the prosperity of the parent colony. How long worker bees live varies according to the season. Those hatched at the beginning of spring live longer than those brought out just before the commencement of the main honey harvest ; while those hatched in the autumn live probably six or seven months, or round to the next spring. Queens live three or four years. The drones are killed off at the end of each season. Worker bees are provided with a sting for their own defence and for the defence of their homes and stores ; and when the necessity arises they do i not fail to make effectual use of it, though to do so is to sacrifice their own lives. They —Deem life itself to vengeance well resigned, Die on the>ound, and have their Bting behind.—

The sting itself is so small that were it not for the poison which is forced into the wound at the same time, we should probably take but little notice of it. It is a beautiful little instrument, and examined withthemicroscopß shows themost intricate mechanism; it consists of a centre tube, ending with a point too fine to be seen, which is grooved on each side. Up and down these grooves two barbed piercers work ; these piercers are^ alternatively forced down into the flesh with spring muscles at the top, and the barbs prevent their being withdrawn ; at the same time two little glands are being emptied of their contents through the centre tube into the wound. Sometimes a bee will sting in a half-hearted sort of way, with just sufficient force to anchor her on your hand without the sting coming away, the bee then commences ta walk round it, twisting

it, and occasionally stopping and pulling with all her power to either release the sting or tear it from her body. As soon as it breaks away, the muscles commence to act, and the pain caused by the poison is felt instantaneously. Ascetic acid is the best remedy 1 know of for sting; then it must be laid on, not rubbed, nine times out of ten. A sting will take no effect if it is . not scratched or rubbed, but it. is an irritating pain, and few can or will leave it alone.