REARING AND INTRODUCING QUEENS. 91 
caution. Before introducing a queen, the old queen in 
the stock, if any exists, must be taken away. Make 
your search for her in the middle of the day, as at that 
time most of the workers are away. Use but very little 
smoke, and that only at the entrance, as the bees should 
remain spread over the combs as evenly as possible. If 
you use much smoke, they will rush to the bottom and 
the corners of the hive, and it is very likely the queen 
might seek a hiding-place with the others, where you 
could not find her. If not disturbed, the queen will be 
found in the comb among the bees. When ready to pro- 
ceed, having smoked them lightly at the entrances, (a puff 
at each entyance is sufficient, ) lift out the comb carefully, 
avoiding any jar, aud look them over for the queen. It 
is said the Italian queens are more readily found than the 
natives, but I could never see any difference. Hold the 
frame up in front of your face, so as to have a good view, 
and look each comb over carefully, till you find the 
queen. When found remove her. Always return the 
combs so they will occupy the same position as before. 
As soon as the queen is removed, and the bees are 
aware of their loss, they will usually commence to rear 
another queen from the worker eggs to take her place. 
To make a sure thing of it, they often start to produce a 
half dozen or more. 
In six days after removing the queen, smoke the bees 
well, to get the combs as clear of them as possible. Do 
this in the middle of the day. When you have driven 
the most of the bees from the comb to the bottom and 
