Curiosities & wonders > New observations on the natural history of bees

RETARDED IMPREGNATION.
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males, not to be misled by these circum¬
stances, and expect that eggs of males will
be deposited in the workers’ cells.
It is a singular fact also, that females,
whose fecundation has been retarded, some¬
times lay the eggs of males in royal cells.
I shall prove, in the history of swarms, that
immediately when queens, in the natural
state, begin their great laying of male eggs,
numerous royal cells are constructed. Un¬
doubtedly there is some secret relation
between the appearance of these eggs and
their formation; for bees never derogate
from this law of nature. It is not surprising,
therefore, that such cells are constructed in
hives governed by queens laying the eggs
of males only : it is no longer extraordinary
that these queens deposit, in the royal cells,
eggs of the only species they can lay, for in
general their instinct seems affected. But
what I cannot comprehend is, why the bees
take exactly the same care of the male eggs
deposited in royal cells, as of those that should
become queens. They provide them more
plentifully with food, they build up the cells
as if containing a royal worm ; in a word,
they labour with such regularity that we
have been frequently deceived. More than