CHAPTER XXVIII. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



PRECAUTION IN SUPPLYING QUEENS. 



IT is often necessary to supply queens, either to 

 queenless hives or those made so by division, and 

 exchanging Italian for common ones. And as the 

 bees, in most cases, will attack and kill a stranger 

 queen when first introduced, or when she first attempts 

 to enter the hive, precaution must be taken to pre- 

 vent it. 



This is effectually done by imprisoning the queen 

 to be supplied in a cage (plate xxix, fig. 52) made 

 of wire cloth, and the ends closed with corks. It is 

 well to put a small amount of honey, or a few well- 

 fed workers, in the cage with her ; the honey should 

 be given by saturating a small piece of sponge with 

 it so as to prevent the queen from getting bedaubed. 

 Then open the hive to which she is to be given and 

 remove their queen, if in possession of one ; this 

 may be done with advantage a few hours previous to 

 supplying the queen, Then place the cage contain- 

 ing the queen within the cluster of bees, in order 

 that they may become acquainted and acquire a 

 sameness of scent before she is allowed her liberty. 



