98 PRACTICAL QUEEN REARING 



er, is a much simpler matter than the introduction of a queen 

 which has been caged for a week and probably travelled several 

 hundred miles in a mailbag, where she had opportunity to ac- 

 quire all kinds of foreign odors. The experienced man will 

 soon learn when he can with safety depend upon a short cut, 

 and when there is danger in doing so. 



Honey and Flour Methods. 



These methods are similar except that in one case honey is 

 used and in the other case flour is the medium. The honey 

 method is used with good success in introducing virgins to bees 

 in packages, after they have been confined for a few hours. 

 The queen is simply dropped into a cup of honey and entirely 

 submerged in it, and then dropped in among the bees, which at 

 once proceed to clean her up. For introducing queens into full 

 colonies, this plan does not always succeed. 



Where the queen is covered with flour, she may be accepted 

 or not, depending much upon other conditions. Where the 

 honey method is used, the queen is much more likely to be 

 accepted if the honey in which she is dipped is taken from the 

 hive to which she is to be given, at the time of her introduction. 



Water Method. 



This method requires a little more trouble, but is generally 

 successful according to reports, and also according to the auth- 

 or's experience. The bees are shaken from the combs, and 

 sprinkled with water until they are soaking wet. The new 

 queen is wet likewise and dropped on the pile of wet bees in 

 the bottom of the hive. The combs are then replaced and the 

 hive covered. 



Neither of these methods is attractive, since it hardly seems 

 like proper treatment to give a valuable queen. 



Introduction of Virgins. 



A newly emerged queen while she is still downy, say within 

 half an hour of the time of her emergence, can be run into any 



