REARING AND INTRODUCING QUEENS. 87 
color. They remain in this form two or three days, at the 
end of which time they change to the form of a grub or mag- 
got. After this change it is a risk to depend on them for 
queen raising, so be sure to secure for your purpose eggs. 
Cut from the brood comb a piece about two inches long 
and one-half inch wide, using a very sharp, thin knife, 
so as not to mutilate the comb. Cut out a piece from 
the center comb of the miniature hive, and fit in its place 
the piece containing the eggs. The middle of a warm 
day is the best time to do this work. It is best to have 
one of the comb frames of the miniature hives filled with 
honey, to furnish food for the bees for a few days. 
As soon as you have fitted the piece containing the 
eggs in its place in the miniature hive, put on a close- 
fitting cover. Do not nail it as you will want to look at 
it every few days. Close the eritrances to the miniature 
hive, so no bees can escape. Now open the hole in the 
top of the box in which the bees are confined, and se; 
the miniature hive containing the eggs over it quickly, 
allowing no bees to escape. The bees will then pass from 
the box up into the miniature hive, cluster on the comb 
containing the eggs, and immediately commence the 
rearing of queens from the eggs thus furnished them. 
Keep the bees confined to the miniature hive for about 
thirty-six hours. Give them their liberty at first about 
one hour before sunset. If you do not confine them for 
the time stated, they will return to the hive from which 
you took them, but if so confined, they will forget their 
old home, and adhere to the miniature hive, the same as 
