We were given the chance to create and install 24inch tall characterised bees based on a book called "The Life of the Bee", by Maurice Maeterlink.
In the book, the hive is described as a glass palace of honey with its Queen governing. The Drones are the males and the Workers range from Servants, Ladies in Waiting, secrataries, masons, nursemaids, guardians and executioners.
The offspring are the larvae, princesses, young queens and the nymphs.
This project was undertaken to show the differences to children. We characterised the honey bees, relating to the book. The difference in the facial structure and the body is shown in the characters.
The following chapter is from the book.....
In order to follow, as simply as possible, the life of the bees through the year, we will take a hive that awakes in the spring and duly starts on its labours; and then we shall meet, in their natural order, all the great episodes, viz.,
the formation and the departure of the swarm, the foundation of the new city, the birth, combat, and nuptial flight of the young queens, the massacre of the males, and, finally, the return of the sleep of winter.
With each of these episodes there will go the necessary explanations to the laws, habits, peculiarities, and events that produce and accompany it; so that, when arrived at the end of the bee's short year, which extends only from April to the last days of
September, we shall have gazed upon all the mysteries of the palace of honey. Before we open it, therefore, and throw a general glance round, we only need say that the hive is composed of a queen, the mother of all her people; of thousands of workers, or
neuters, who are incomplete and sterile females; and, lastly, of some hundreds of males, from whom one shall be chosen as the sole and unfortunate consort of the queen that the workers will elect in the future, after the more or less voluntary departure
of the reigning mother.
The Drones are short and squat, they have no stings and they are the male unochs. The eyes are further apart and larger. The antennas are closer to the probiscus.
The Queen is the "supermodel" with a longer, slimmer figurine and has a sharp sting. Her face is thinner and the eyes are very close. The probiscus is long.
The Workers are longer in body and have a serated sting. The abdomen has pockets to gather pollen. Her eyes are larger then the queens and closer together.
The Nurse and one of the Larvae.....
The Queen Mother on her Flower Throne....