100 HOW TO KEEP BEES 



thorax or imprisoned in a queen trap, but never 

 under any circumstances should she be seized by 

 the abdomen. (Plate XVI, Queen trap.) 



CLIPPING THE QUEEN'S WINGS 



This does not mean cutting off all four of the 

 wings, but that the wings on one side should be 

 clipped, leaving stubs not more than an eighth of an 

 inch long. Various devices have been invented to 

 aid clumsy hands in cutting off the royal petticoats. 

 One, the Monette queen-clipping device, is a little 

 cone-shaped cage made of wire laid in spirals. She 

 goes into this cage head first and the door is shut 

 behind her. Then the scissors are slipped between 

 the spirals at the proper point and the deed is done. 

 Another simple device is a bit of section-board 

 whittled in the shape of a tiny bootjack with a rubber 

 band stretched rather tightly across the prongs. 

 The forks are placed across the queen so that the 

 rubber presses against the thorax, thus pinning her 

 fast to the comb while she is barbered. The only 

 skill needed in this device is in fixing the tension of 

 the rubber band so that it will be sufficient to hold 

 her majesty fast, and yet not stiff enough to hurt her. 

 Our invariable plan is as follows: After the queen 

 is discovered, we hold the brood frame in one hand, 

 pick up her royal highness in the other most gently, 

 then still more gently set the frame down, leaning 

 it against the hive; then, holding her royal person 

 firmly but carefully in our own unworthy thumb and 

 fingers, clip her wings with presuming scissors; then, 



