Without the drones, there would be no honey. And, there would be no more bees. While the queen bee rules the nest, it is the drones like the one in this honey bee drawing who keep the hive alive. It is the males or drones who gather the pollen and fertilize the queens.
This 1911 Encyclopedia honey bee drawing shows the distinctive hairy torso of the species. Sometimes, I think these black and white drawings are able to show more of those tiny details than the colored ones. They also allow for us to add our own color and creative enhancements.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
