LOSS OF THE QUEEN. 65 



When a hive is found to have such a queen, search 

 her out and destroy her ; then cut out all the comb 

 occupied with her brood, as it is entirely useless. 

 The balance of the combs should then be exchanged 

 for perfect brood, and a queen or royal cell supplied. 

 But if few bees are found, then break it up, and give 

 the remaining bees and comb to other hives. 



Occasionally young queens lay only drone eggs 

 (but in worker comb) for the first few days after 

 becoming fertile, and afterwards produce workers and 

 drones perfectly developed in their proper order. 

 When the raised oval cells are found, search for the 

 queen ; if her wings are defective, destroy her, but 

 if they are all right, it is best to wait a few days 

 longer, when her character is fully determined. If 

 she changes for the better, it is known by the last 

 brood sealed being smooth and regular. The abdo- 

 men of a drone-laying queen usually appears more 

 slender than that of a perfect one. 



EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF THE LOSS OF THE QUEEN. 



The loss of the queen creates much disturbance 

 during the first day, after which the bees continue 

 their labors as usual. As soon as their loss is discov- 

 ered, numbers of them may be seen running out of 

 the hive and roaming about in an inquiring manner, 

 evidently searching for their lost mother. Though 

 'other causes frequently produce similar excitement, 

 the agitation will be brief; whereas, the loss of the 



