The Bee People (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...supply, but that is the best he can do. So Mr. Drone Apis Mellifica leaves the sweet occupation of gathering nectar to his sister, Miss Worker Apis Mellifica. As for pollen, the drone has no baskets in which to carry it, so there is an end to that. And as for working in the hive, he is no better off for tools to work with than he is for a honey-sac, a serviceable tongue, and pollen baskets. In fact, there is nothing for him to do but to stay at home and be taken care of like a gentleman of leisure. This he does to perfection. He stands about with his hands in his pockets, so to speak, and lets his little brown sis His little brown sister feeds him. fers feed him, which they do by allowing him to put his tongue into their mouths. On warm, sunny days, he flies out to see the world and to try his fortune. Occasionally a drone meets the young queen of another hive, also out to see the world. When this happens they mate, but she stays with him only a short time, and then goes back to her own hive and leaves him. The poor fellow has no sting at all, so he cannot defend himself, or avenge an insult. We may pick him up, if we can catch him, with no fear of being stung, and may say anything to him or about him that we please. Basketless, stingless, with no honeysac, and no serviceable nectar-gathering tongue, he is almost as helpless as a Chinese lady. Only she is purposely made helpless, and he is born so. A Chinese girl baby has as good feet as any baby, and they would grow as large as other people's if it were not the fashion for the mothers to squeeze the poor little tootsie-wootsies into small ugly shoes that hurt the babies terribly and make them as cross as crabs. It serves their mothers right, too, when they are cross. Think of crippling...