QUEEN BAISTNG AND INTBODUGINQ. 139 



out properly, and an examination of the combs need 

 not, in fact, should not, take place for another week, 

 by which time some, if not all, the queens may have 

 been on their wedding flight and be found laying. 



As soon as it is ascertained that a queen cell has 

 failed or been destroyed, one of the queens reserved 

 must be introduced, and the others not required may 

 be destroyed. Instead of killing the queens two or 

 three nuclei may be united to form one colony, the 

 queens being allowed to settle the question as to 

 which shall remain alive. If more stocks are not 

 required by the uniting of nuclei, a nucleus colony 

 may be united to each hive near which it has been 

 standing. 



Eequeening Skeps. 



Swarming will be the best method of requeening 

 stocks in skeps or other fixed-comb hives, as the old 

 queen always leaves with the first swarm. The queen 

 that, later on in the season, is found laying will 

 therefore be a young one, and of the same age and 

 quality as queens accompany after-swarms or casts. 

 It is not an unusual occurrence for three or more 

 swarms to issue from a good stock. The hives into 

 which all but the first are placed should be marked 

 with the figure 1, to show that the queen is in her 

 first season. The hive into which the first swarm 

 is placed must be marked 2 or 3, according as to 

 whether or not she issued with a swarm the previous 

 year. 



At the end of the season bees taken from condemned 

 stocks should be used for strengthening weak ones 



