In the old home there are not nearly so many bees as before the swarming, and most of them are young bees, for the older workers flew away with the swarm. The youngest workers, or nurse bees, take care of the eggs and unhatched cells. All the eggs and unhatched cells in the hive are called "brood, " and the combs in the center of the hive where the eggs are laid are called the "brood nest. " The nurse bees have plenty to do after the swarm leaves, for there is a great deal of brood in the hive for them to take care of. And all the empty cells must be cleaned and polished to make them ready for the eggs which the new queen will lay.

Little White Worms Lie Curled in the Bottom of the Cells

By this time the bees in the queen cells are nearly ready to hatch. The first queen who comes out of her cell is the new queen of the hive. She mates with a drone and becomes the mother of the hive, laying eggs just as her mother did before her.

On the end of each tiny egg is a drop of glue which attaches it firmly to the back of the cell so that it will not fall out. After three days the egg turns into a little white worm or larva. It lies curled in the bottom of the cell while the nurse bees feed it royal jelly for three days. Then for a few days more the nurses feed it pollen, mixed with honey. Then they cover the cell with wax.

Inside the cell the larva spins its cocoon around itself. During this stage of its growth it needs warmth. So, no matter what the temperature is outside the hive, the nurse bees, by clustering over the brood cells and by exercising their legs and wings, manage always to keep the temperature at ninety-three degrees.

After twelve days in darkness the larvae have developed into full-grown bees with six legs and four wings. They bite holes in the caps of their cells and crawl out. At first they are weak and helpless and cannot walk very steadily. But they soon grow strong and begin to do their share of the work of the hive.

The Baby Bees Crawl out of Their Cells