RAISING QUEEN BEES 



cell in the comb to the artificial cup, use great 

 care not to bruise it, as it is very tender. The 

 age of the larva can be easily determined by 

 its size, and the smaller it is the better. 



Before you are ready to graft cells, make 

 your swarm box ready ; the Swarthmore 

 swarm box is a box that has the bottom side 

 covered with wire gauze and holds just five 

 frames of comb. About ten o'clock in the 

 morning, go to some strong colony, and, hav- 

 ing previously placed in the box three combs 

 filled with honey and pollen, but no brood, 

 lift the lid from the box and shake into it the 

 bees from three or four frames taken from the 

 strong colony, put the lid on securely, and 

 stop the entrance with a large cork or piece 

 of wood. Remove the box, bees and all, to 

 the house, and place it in a dark, quiet place, 

 moderately warm, and wait until about four 

 o'clock in the afternoon before you begin to 

 graft the larvae. 



During this time the imprisoned bees will 

 discover that they are hopelessly queenless, 



103 



