286 QUEEN REARING. 



is introduced, as the other bees, noticing- them to be strangers, 

 will allow them to starve, though they will feed the queen. 



540. Some Apiarists use chloroform, ether, puff-balls, or 

 other ingTedients, to stupefy the bees of mutinous colonies 

 who persist in refusing to accept a strange queen and who 

 show it by angrily surrounding the cage in which she is con- 

 fined. 



The Rev. John Tliorley, in his '^Female Monarclu//' pub- 

 lished at London, in 1744, appears to have first introduced the 

 practice of stupefying bees by the narcotic fumes of the 

 "puff ball" (Fungus pulverulentus) , dried till it will hold 

 fire like tinder. The bees soon drop motionless from their 

 comb, and recover again after a short exposure to the air. 

 This method was once much practiced in France, (L'Apicul- 

 teur, page 17, Paris, 1856) but is veiy dangerous, as too large 

 a dose of anaesthetics will cause death instead of sleep. 



Introduction of Virgin Queens. 



541. The difference in looks between a virgin queen and 

 an impregnated one is striking, and an expert will distinguish 

 them at a glance. The virgin queen is slender, her abdomen 

 is small, her motions quick, she runs about and almost flies over 

 the combs, when trying to hide from the light. In fact, she 

 has nothing of the matronly dignity of a mother. 



Bees, in possession of a fertile queen, are quite reluctant 

 to accept an unimpregnated one in her stead; indeed, it re- 

 quires much experience to be able to give a virgin queen to 

 a colony, and yet be sure of securing for her a good reception. 



Mr. Langstroth was the first to ascertain, years ago, that 

 the best time to introduce her, is just after her birth, as soon 

 as she can crawl readily. If introduced too soon, the bees 

 may drag her out, as they would any imperfect w^orker. Most 

 queen-breeders liberate them on the comb, or at the entrance 

 of a queenless nucleus. Mr. H. D. Cutting recommends daub- 

 ing the young queen with honey, as she comes out of her cell, 



