“But where do the little baby bees stay?” asked Tiny.
“Oh, they stay in the empty honey cells and are watched and cared for by their nurses until they are old enough to work,” replied the queen. “There is much to do, but there are many classes of workers, from the honey gatherers to the bees that stand inside the hive, fanning with their wings to make currents of air; for without pure air the crowded City Wonderful would not be a fit place to live in. Another set of bees cleans out the cells after the baby bees are old enough to come out, and others guard the gate of the city to keep away moths and other troublesome creatures.”
“Bees are wise, sensible, industrious, and useful,” declared the squirrel. “I should like to see the City Wonderful. I am very glad that I have the privilege of seeing a queen bee. I wasn’t expecting such a great pleasure.”
The queen bee said that she was equally glad to see the red squirrel, and that she would be delighted to invite him to see the new City Wonderful, were it not for the fact that her soldiers might make it unpleasant for him.
“Are there many kinds of bees?” asked Tiny presently.
“Yes, there are fully seventy known varieties,” replied the queen, daintily flapping her wings. “There are the plasterer bees. They make tunnels in the ground, divide them into cells, and fill them with honey. They have forked tongues to use as trowels in smoothing down the silken layers which they use in making the tunnels. The flower riflers, which are very dark in color, make their cells on dry walls. Their homes look like lumps of mud.”
Tiny asked if all the bees live in great cities.
“Not all of them,” replied the queen, “although they are very sociable creatures. The upholsterer bee cuts out round pieces from rose leaves, with which she lines her tiny nest. Would it not be delightful to live in a nest of sweet-smelling rose leaves? I should much prefer such sweet quietude to city life. The upholsterer stores honey and pollen that looks like rose-colored jam. I dare say it is very delicious. The mason bees take bits of chalk, sand, and woody material, which they make into tiny bricks to use in building their little houses. Another kind of bee hunts for an old snail shell in which to make her house. There is another variety that builds its nest in the heart of the scarlet poppy. Some bees throw out sweet perfume. Although most bees work in the sunshine, there is a class, with wings tinted like the rainbow, that works by moonlight. You may be learned, my friend, but I could sit here all day and tell you things about bees. You would be much surprised at many facts I should mention. Bees, wasps, spiders, and ants are very clever.”
Tiny said that there was nothing that could give him greater pleasure than to hear her talk.
“But my body guard is coming,” continued the queen. “It is really an extraordinary thing for a queen bee to be without attendants. They must be much distressed about losing me.”