IMPREGNATION OF THE QUEEN. 51 



Langstroth, and other authors assure us that such is 

 the fact. 



Mr. Quinby expresses his views as follows : 

 " It is stated that when the bees decide an after 

 swarm shall issue, the first queen matured is not 

 allowed to leave her cell, but is kept a prisoner there, 

 and fed until wanted to go forth with the swarm. 

 This may be true in some cases, (though not satis- 

 factorily proved) but I am quite sure it is not in all. 

 " When she is confined to her cell, how does she 

 ascertain the presence of others ? By leaving the 

 cell this knowledge is easily obtained. Huber says 

 she does, and is ' enraged at the existence of others, 

 and endeavors to destroy them while yet in the cell, 

 which the workers will not allow ; this is so irritating 

 to her majesty that she utters this peculiar sound.' 

 Also, second and third swarms may contain several 

 queens, frequently two, three and four ; even six* at 

 one time came out. If these had to bite their way 

 out, after the workers had decided it was time to 

 start, (for it must be they decide it when the queens 

 are shut up) they would hardly be in season." 



IMPREGNATION OP THE QUEEN. 



A young queen having succeeded to the vacancy 



. * 



* About the 1st of June, 1860, I hived an after swarm which 

 had seven queens with them. I removed all but one and supplied 

 them to artificial colonies. I examined the hive from whence the 

 swarm had issued within an hour thereafter, and found two more 

 queens, which had probably emerged after the departure of the 

 swarm. A. Harbison. 



