136 



ONE YEAR AMONG THE BEES. 



FIG. 29. Colony of bees ready for shipment. 



a colony put up to ship any distance by express during the hottest 

 days in summer. The half story added on top, covered with wire 

 gauze, gives an empty chamber for the bees above the frames of comb, 

 and the entrance to hive is also covered with wire cloth, so that they 

 have all ventilation required. They may be thus safely confined 

 several days, and shipped across the continent in perfect safety. 



INTRODUCING QUEENS. 



A colony of the worst type of the old black bees may be changed 

 to the highest state of perfection by simply removing the black queen, 

 and introducing an Italian queen in her place. If a queen is thus in- 

 troduced in early spring, there will scarcely be a trace left of the old 

 stock in midsummer. There is always some risk of losing the queen 

 in introduction by the bees being dissatisfied with her and killing her. 

 In almost all cases when the new queen is at once liberated anu ng 

 them immediately after the removal of the old one they will destroy 

 her. It takes a prolonged method to induce them to accept her prop- 

 erly. It is necessary first to remove the queen, and be absolutely cer- 

 tain that the colony is queenless. Then with the new queen placed 

 in a wire-screen cage, and placed in the hive near the brood nest, 

 it is allowed to remain some thirty-six or forty-eight hours, after which 

 time she may be released among the bees. In some instances the bees 

 will not yet accept her, but will begin treating her very roughly and 

 will attempt to sting her ; but they do not sting her thus, but form in 

 in a compact ball around her, and thus remain until they seemingly 

 squeeze the life out of her. When they thus begin to ball around 



