ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 197 



and it is, hence, probable that the brood* is chiefly 

 attended to and nursed by the younger bees. The evi- 

 dence, however, is not so conclusive as in the case of comb- 

 building, inasmuch as they may have congregated on the 

 brood-combs because these are warmer than the others. 



"I may add another interesting observation. The 

 faeces in the intestines of the young Italian bees was viscid 

 and yellow ; that of the common or old bees was thin and 

 limpid, like that of the queen-bee. This is confirmatory 

 of the opinion, that, for the production of wax and jelly, 

 the bees require pollen; but do not need any for their 

 own sustenance." B. Z. 1855, p. 163. S. WAGJ^ER. 



If the colonies are to be multiplied rapidly, the nuclei 

 must never be allowed to become too much reduced in 

 numbers, or to be destitute of brood or honey. With 

 these precautions, the oftener their queen is taken from 

 them, the more intent they usually become in supplying 

 her loss. 



There is one trait in the character of bees which is wor- 

 thy of profound respect. Such is their indomitable energy 

 and perseverance, that under circumstances apparently 

 hopeless, they labor to the utmost to retrieve their losses, 

 and sustain the sinking State. So long as they have a 

 queen, or any prospect of raising one, they struggle vigor- 

 ously against impending ruin, and never give up until 

 their condition is absolutely desperate". I once knew a 

 colony of bees not large enough to cover a piece of comb 

 four inches square, to attempt to raise a queen. For 



* I once had a colony which, after It had been queenless for some time, not only 

 refused to make royal cells, but even devoured the eggs which were given to them. 

 Similar facts have been noticed by other observers. When a colony which refuses 

 to rear a queen, has a comb given to it containing maturing bees, these motherless 

 Innocents will at once proceed to supply their loss. Dr. Donhoffs observations 

 account for these facts. 



