88 REARING AND INTRODUCING QUEENS. 
an ordinary swarm hived in the usual way. They will 
rear queens from the eggs given them by constructing 
queen cells, so arranged as to take in one of the eggs 
in the piece of comb furnished them often constructing 
three or more cells. In about six days, open the minia- 
ture hive, and you will find these cells nearly or quite 
finished. Occasionally a case occurs where they do not 
rear queens when thus furnished with the means, but 
such cases are rare. If you find each one made separate 
you can, if you choose, with a sharp, thin knife, cut out 
all the cells but one, and give them to other rearing 
boxes not supplied with eggs, or which have failed to 
rear queens from the eggs furnished them. If you leave 
all the cells in the miniature hive as constructed, the 
first queen that hatches will destroy all the others. She 
will visit each cell, gnaw an opening in the side, curve 
her abdomen and insert her sting into the opening, and 
sting the rival queen to death while yet in her cradle. 
The worker bees will then enlarge the opening, and drag 
out the lifeless body. The victorious queen now reigns 
over the little colony, the same as in a large and natural 
swarm. 
In from three to five days after hatching if the weather 
is fine, the young queen will leave the miniature hive, 
and take a flight in the open air, to meet the drone for 
the purpose of fecundation. If successful, she will com- 
mence to lay in about two days. She may then be 
introduced to a full stock at any time desired. Recol- 
