The races of bees are many, but the best known is the British bee, sometimes called the Black Bee. Why it should be called “black” no one seems to know, for, as a matter of fact, it is of a beautiful rich brown colour. Then there is the Ligurian bee, which is of a lighter shade, and has three golden bands around its abdomen, by which you will easily recognise it. The Carniolian bees are natives of Carniolia in Austria, and they also have rings, but of a lighter yellow colour, while the bee itself is not such a dark brown as the Ligurian. Carniolian bees are supposed to be very sweet-tempered, and are therefore sometimes called “the lady’s bees.” Whether they really are better-tempered than other races is a question, for the temper of the little insects depends a great deal upon circumstances. For instance, if spiders have been trying to get into the hive, the bees are often very cross, and it is dangerous to go anywhere near them. But should there be no trouble of this kind to worry them, the hive may be opened and the bees handled without fear. [Illustration: PLATE II From a photograph by] [E. Hawks Queen] CHAPTER II THE QUEEN BEE Let us now look at Plate II., where an illustration of a queen bee is to be seen. It will be noticed that her abdomen is much longer than that of the worker or of the drone. Her head and thorax are about the same size as those of the others, but her legs are slightly longer and differently shaped. This then is the queen of the hive, and she has, as we have seen, many thousands of subjects. We might imagine that, such being the case, she would lead a life of pleasure and enjoyment; but this is not so. In fact she is wrongly named the queen, for she does not rule over the other bees in the way we are accustomed to think of a king or queen doing. She would be better called the mother of the hive, for she is the parent of all the other bees. She never leaves the bee-city, except perhaps on one or two state occasions, so that she spends the greater part of her life in the darkness of the hive. She is waited upon and fed by her royal attendants, who also clean her and guide her over the combs. Perhaps, some time or other, if you have the opportunity of doing so, you may see the queen of some friend’s hive. You will see her on the comb, no doubt, and you will notice a circle of six or more bees around her. These are her attendants, who face her and do not turn their backs to her if it can be avoided. In Plate III. is shown the queen surrounded by her attendants. They are within the circle which has been drawn on the photograph, and the arrow points to the queen. Great care is taken of the queen, for on her depends the future of the race, and so she is closely guarded as well as being tended and fed. Every one of the little workers would willingly lay down her life for the sake of the queen, were this necessary. [Illustration: PLATE III From a photograph by] [E. Hawks