^6 QUEEN-REARING IN ENGLAND. 



sealed brc»d, but may be hived on foundation. If this is 

 done, feeding should commence the first evening. 



A prime swarm^ that is, one accompanied by a fertile 

 queen, cannot be treated in this way. The bees have an 

 intense afiection for their old queen, and as soon as they 

 discover that they have los.t her they become frenzied and 

 will kill any virgin that may be substituted, though after a 

 while they will accept queen-cells. 



Bwying; Bees to Make Nuclei. — Sometimes one has 

 queens ready but no bees for making the nuclei. It is then 

 worth while to buy bees from an apiary situated two or more 

 miles away. If they are shaken off their combs and so caused 

 to rush about and emit the alluring scent, are supplied 

 with plenty of food and are confined pretty closely for four 

 or six hours, they will accept two-day-old virgins even if they 

 liave come from colonies containing fertile queens. 



Fertilisation of the Queen. — On the fifth day after 

 she has emerged, the queen, provided the weather is favour- 

 able, takes short flights between the hours of ii a.m. and 

 3 p.m., thus accustoming herself to return to the hive and she 

 is followed, at first hesitatingly, but later with more eager- 

 ness, by the drones which are then flying in numbers. Her 

 flights are continued on the next day, when they usually cul- 

 minate in the marriage flight, which lasts about ten or fifteen 

 nunutes. 



On this occasion, if the drones are plentiful, the queen 

 is closely followed by a crowd of ardent suitors. The excite- 

 ment brings more drones, probably attracted by scent emitted 

 l>v the others, and the air grows thick Avith them. A comet- 

 like flock of drones is formed with the queen in the nucleus, 

 and it darts about in an erratic manner, assuming all kinds 

 of strange shapes. One of the swiftest and strongest of the 

 drones succeeds in seizing the queen and he flies away with 

 her. When the two separate the drone's organs are torn from 

 him and their torn ends usually protrude from the frequently 

 gaping anus of the queen for some hours. The queen is 

 generally rather exhausted after the ordeal and may alight 

 on a leaf of a tree or a blade of grass to rest and recuperate. 

 Should a dark cloud now happen to obscure the sun and a 

 chilly wind spring up she may become benumbed and never 



