combs should be returned to the original hive, giving them another 
careful examination while so doing. 
The whole process may be repeated if necessary, but it is advis- 
able when practical to allow the bees to hecome reorganized before 
making a second attempt to locate the queen in the same manner. 
If it is necessary to get the queen quickly and the operator’s time 
is limited, the bees may be driven through a queen excluder and the 
queen secured. 
The process is as follows: Provide a hive body equipped with 
drawn combs, or if they are not conveniently at hand frames of 
foundation may be used. Empty frames give poor results. Place 
the body with combs on a bottom board beside the hive to be oper- 
ated on. On top the prepared hive body place a queen excluder 
and above this the hive body containing the queen desired. Drive 
the bees down through the excluder by vigorous smoking, taking 
out the frames one by one and shaking off any adhering bees inside 
the hive body. As the frames are removed for shaking have in 
mind the possibility of seeing the queen on one of the combs or 
in the mass of bees on top the excluder. By smoking keep the 
bees from running over the top of the hive. If not located before, 
the queen will be found after all combs have been removed, trying 
to escape through the excluder into the lower hive body. After she 
is secured the hive should be restored to its former condition. Should 
this operation be attempted during a time when robbing is easily 
started extreme care should be used to prevent this. 
Introducing the Queen 
The methods of queen introduction may be classed under two 
general heads—direct, in which the queen is at once free to go 
where she will in the hive; and indirect, in which the queen’s move- 
ments are restricted by some sort of cage from which she is later 
released by the bees or the beekeeper. 
Direct Methods—There are a number of ways of applying the 
two classes of introduction. Under the first head may be mentioned 
the smoke method, in which the bees are thoroughly demoralized 
by excessive smoking and the queen allowed to run in at the en- 
trance while they are in this condition; the honey method, in which 
the queen is immersed in about 1/2 cupful of diluted honey and 
honey and queen poured on the topbars of the open hive; and the 
fasting method, in which the queen is placed in an entirely empty 
cage and left until she shows signs of weakness from lack of food 
when she is released on top the frames. The time necessary to get 
a queen in the proper condition by fasting will depend upon whether 
or not she has been actively depositing eggs immediately previous 
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