46 



Should a hive in the breeding season become queenless, either through the death of 

 the queen or through her removal by the bee-keeper, the bees at once proceed to develop 

 a successor from the young larvae and eggs on hand, building the cells on the faces of 

 the combs. Should they send out a swarm it vi^ill be headed by a virgin, and, of course, 

 the second one will come forth a day or two later. 



The facts in the last paragraph give us the key to making increase under the control 

 of the bee-keeper. A simple method, but rather wasteful, is to divide a very strong 

 hive into two parts, leaving one-half on the old stand and setting the other on a new 

 one. The half without a queen will at once start queen-cells. The drawbacks to this 

 plan consists in the probable loss of young brood through neglect in the part that was 

 moved, and in the slowing down of egg-laying by the queen. 



Here is a much more efficient way : Remove the hive from the stand and in its 

 place put one containing only empty combs or foundation. Take out the centre comb, 

 then turn to the old hive and look for the queen. When she has been found, set the 

 frame she is on in the centre of the empty hive. Put a queen-excluder above, then on 

 top place the old hive, into which now put the empty comb from the lower one ; replace 

 the co\er. Leave the combination alone for five days, then look carefully over the 

 combs in the upper body to see whether or not queen-cells have been started. If such 

 are found, carry the upper story to anew stand. We have gained much in the five days. 

 The queen has been stopped but little ; much of the brood above has hatched, lessening 

 the cares of the workers there, and there is an army of young bees in the upper division 

 that will stay where they are put. When no cells are started, leave the hives together 

 for five days more. After moving the upper story to a new stand it must be provided 

 with a frame containing larvae and eggs, for, of course, all its own larvae are too old. 

 This frame may be taken from any hive, preferably from one that is noted for good 

 workers. Shake all the bees oflf the frame, to make certain you do not carry the queen 

 with you. 



As many queens get lost in the mating flight, it is always advisable to examine a 

 hive about twelve days after the queen hatches out. if eggs are found, things are 

 probably all right ; but if no eggs are present, then give a frame of brood with eggs from 

 another hive, so that, if necessary, another queen may be raised. 



CHAPTER XI 

 Diseases. 



Bee diseases are divided into two kinds, those that attack the mature bees and 

 those that afiFect the brood. 



The adults are liable to diarrha^a, paralysis, and a vague one in the early part of 

 the season that is generally called " spring dwindling." Diarrhd^a fre(iuently occurs 

 when the bees have been compelled for several weeks to s^^ay in the hives, especially on 

 poor stores, such as f mil -juices and honey-dew — the latter being an excretion from 

 aphida and scale insects which is sometimes plentiful in the autumn in the coast 

 regions. Honey-dew is usually very dark, often granulates quickl}', and has an 

 unpleasant taste. When in health, bees empty their bowels only when on the wing, 

 but when flight is hindered for some weeks the evacuation may occur in the hive. 

 This is the reason why bottom boards should be cleaned off early in spring, so as to 

 get rid of the germs. 



