When I awoke the next day, I was pleasantly surprised by the simple but perfectly delectable breakfast waiting for me under a steel cover, accompanied by a matching set before Holmes and a fresh paper sitting on the chair: I saw no sign of a housekeeper, and it was not known to me that Holmes could cook such a fine meal. I tried my best to suppress my shock, but as always, my ever observant friend had picked up on it.
"I see from the look in your eyes that you are quite bewildered. Yes, I'm afraid that I was unable to secure anyone that could cook and keep quite as well as Mrs. Hudson when I first migrated to the South Downs, and as such have taught myself these skills. They are not bad things to know, and I daresay I could live quite comfortably should the whole rest of the world should deign it necessary to waste away. Yes, Watson, I am indeed quite comfortably self-sustained on this plot of land. So long as my bees keep up, I should have also the luxury of a store of honey, which is more than could be said for my life before in London, I am sure. Would you like some on your toast? I do think it does wonders for the bread. There, not too much, yes, that should do it."
Breakfast thus finished, I made to pick up the paper, eyes already ghosting towards the agonies column. It was a mechanical gesture, automatic in the presence of Holmes, and I was much jolted when Holmes wagged his pipe at me and gesticulated for me to drop the paper. "Come now, Watson. Let England out of your wary eye for a day. You are in a beautiful countryside; let us walk, and you may make the inquiries for which I know you ache. Oh, don't look so surprised. You know my methods."
We made our way out into the road, but I found myself lacking in interest about his retirement: it was clear that he had a quiet life now, and there is very little to inquire about and even less to report. Instead, I found the conversation turning towards the topic, yet again, of his bees. He immediately became more animated and discussed extensively the behaviour of the insects. At some point, the subject turned to the life cycle of an average worker bee, and he delivered a most riveting account.
"You see, in addition to honey, bees are capable of producing another substance, called royal jelly. It's the sole diet of a larval bee for the first few days after it hatches from the egg, until they start eating beebread - most delightful concoction of pollen and honey, it is. They are quite helpless at this point, the larvae. Quite so indeed, until they turn into pupa and are sealed into the cells – did you know that an adult bee must chew her way out of the cell? No? Well you do now, good friend. She does so, and lives for at most a few months, all the while caring for her eventual replacements.”
“Do they not have the opportunity to become queens?”
“I’m afraid not, Watson. But next time in the apiary, I shall point out to you particular cells which show the eggs who are destined for royalty, as well as the shells of the regular infants of the bees.”
And with that promise, Holmes changed the subject, asking of my life, of London, of the arts in the city, and would speak no more of the bees, leaving myself to wonder at how the bees could so miraculously know how to act once trapped in a cell – how amazing instinct was! But as much as I attempted to flank in the question, Holmes would have nothing of it. I have seen before how that great mind is able to switch so completely from amongst topics, and never had it frustrated me so.
- Dr. John H. Watson
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Reading: http://www.countryrubes.com/images/The_Life_Cycle_of_a_Bee_updated_9_09.pdf
1) I knew that bees would make royal jelly, and I’ve actually had some before (it was pretty awful), but I didn’t realise they also made beebread. Now I kind of want to try that!
2) I find it so fascinating that they literally chew their way out of their cells. I thought only birds would peck their way out of their eggs, but to “hatch” thrice (once out of the egg, once out of the pupa shell (I assume that happens?), and once out of the cell itself) is pretty cool.
3) They only live for a few months at most … that’s so sad …
Question: It’s so miraculous that they know how to get out of the cell once trapped – would they respond the same way if trapped in anything else? Or is it just for that short time that the instinct kicks in?
To look for: Sealed pupa cells.
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