144 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



ci'oss-section of capped drone -brood comb 

 will show it to ha nearly ono-lialf inch 

 tliicUer than a similar section of cappeil 

 woiker-brood conil). Tlie color of the 

 capping of drone-brood is usiialiy, even in 

 old combs, nearly white or dirty wiiite, 

 although when ttrst sealed ihe color is ihe 

 same as tliat of the comi). But as the larvae 

 mature tlie bees cut away the waxy cap- 

 ping leaving the exposed end of tlie cocoon 

 nalved, but do not cut away the waxy cap- 

 ping of workerbrood to tlie same extent as 

 they always do with drone and queen cells. 

 Queen cells are usually recognized by 

 tlieir position and shape. They are larger 

 than drone cells, elongateil and (.val in 

 outline and the internal cavity is perfectly 

 round. They are also built with their 

 axis in a perpendicular line when started 

 in a favorable position, but are often built 

 from the sides of the combs in the midst 

 of worker and drone-brood, in which case 

 the worker cells from which the start is 

 made are first enlarged and then elon- 

 gated downwards, the mouth of the cell 

 always looking downward before being- 

 capped. A fine queen cell is built vvitli a 

 network of small and regular indenta- 

 tions about its sides. Mr. Alley tclLs us 

 in his valuable treatise on queen rearing 

 that such cells almost invariably contain 

 and will hatch out valuable queens. A 

 few days before a ([Ueeii cell hatches the 

 bees remove the wax from the end of the 

 cell when the cocoon is seen to have a 

 light shade. About two days before 

 hatching it gradually darkens, when it is 

 said, among queen breeders, to be ripe. 



How to tell when bees are robbing or 

 being robbed. 



We shall first observe an unusual com- 

 motion about the entrance of the hive be- 

 ing robbed and if many colonies are in an 

 apiary, bees will be seen to be flying 

 about all the hives seeking an entrance at 

 the top, sides and ends ot the liives. A 

 glance among the hives will show at once 

 to the experienced if robbing is going on. 

 In searching for the cohniy being robbed, 

 care is necessary to notice that the com- 

 motion in front of a colony is not due to 

 the flight of young bees. If ihe latter, 

 they may be known by their downy ap- 

 pearance and their peculiar flight with 

 lieads directed to the front of the hive as 

 if learning to recognize it in future trips. 

 But if the hive is being robl)ed many bees, 

 heavy laden, will be seen running up the 

 front of llie hive belin-e taking flight and 

 the robbers will be seen to be mostly 

 old liees and to dart into and out of the 

 hive as if in great haste. There will also 

 be heard a louder tone in a higher key 

 uote than is usual among flying bees. 

 Neio ritiladdplda, Ohiu. 



Bees Superseding Newly Intro- 

 duced Queens after receiving 

 them. 



L. JoiiNSOX. 



I have introduced quite a number of 

 queens for several years past by almost all 

 the methods usually pursued, and find 

 that by any of them a queen will some- 

 times be superseded at three to six weeks, 

 and queen cells be built from lierprogeny. 



Three years ago a tine (jueen received 

 from G. M. Doolittle was introiluced to a 

 hive by the direct method. In about a 

 month she was missing and three very 

 fine cells built from the queen were 

 secured, one of which is still doing good 

 service. In the fall of 188() a similar ex- 

 perience occurred with a fine Albino re- 

 ceived from A. \V. Steth introduced on 

 the caging method. 



Last fall a queen was received by me 

 from Henry Alley which from appearance 

 I prized very highly. I therefore intro- 

 duced her by the three-da\' method, 

 and to my great joy was kindly received 

 by the bees, and began laying rapiilly the 

 second day. I carefully looked over every 

 comb to see that no queen cells were be- 

 ing constructed and removed them all. 

 At the end of about two weeks three or 

 four Langstroth Irames were well filled 

 with brood in all stages; but in a week 

 afterwards on lifLing out a comb, a large 

 queen cell was discovered. On further 

 inspection I found seven or eight more 

 aiui my fine queen gone. As this was late 

 in the fall, the beautiful young queeu 

 hatched from them was not likely fertil- 

 ized, but she is still in the hive for ex- 

 perimenting in the spring. Other similar 

 cases to these mentioned have occurred 

 under my observation, but have always 

 been late in summer, and when robbers 

 were somewhat troublesome. I think that 

 this is likely the cause. The bees may 

 not be fully satisfied with a stepmother, 

 and strangers by irritating them increase 

 that dislike with the unhappy result. 

 Many co oiiies doubtless become queen- 

 less from the same cause. 

 Waltuii, Ky. 



Introducing Queens. 



M. A. Kki.lky. 



This important manipulation may be 

 performed in a variety of ways which are 

 well known to most oUl beekeepers. 



But as this is not an atteni[)t to teach 

 the teachers, these remarks must be un- 

 derstood as directed to beginners in api- 

 culture. 



