288 THE BBE-KBBPER'S GUIDB ; 



SHAI<I, WE CWP THE QUBBN'S WING ? 



In the above operation, as in many other manipulations 

 of the hive, we shall often gain sight of the queen, and 

 can, if we desire, clip her wing, if she has met the drone ; but 

 never before, that in no case she shall lead the colony away to 

 parts unknown. This is an old practice, for Virgil speaks of 

 retaining the bees by tearing off the wings of "the king." 

 This does not injure the queen, as some have claimed. General 

 Adair once stated that such treatment injured the queen, as it 

 cut off some of the air-tubes, which view was approved by so 

 excellent a naturalist as Dr. Packard. Yet I am sure that this 

 is all a mistake. The air-tube and blood-vessel, as we have 

 seen, go to the wings to carry nourishment to these members. 

 With the wing goes the necessity of nourishment and the need 

 of the tubes. As well say that the amputation of the human 

 leg or arm would enfeeble the constitution, as it would cut off 

 the supply of blood. 



Many of our best apiarists have practiced this clipping of 

 the queen's wing for years. Yet these queens show no diminu- 

 tion of vigor ; we should suppose they would be even more 

 vigorous, as useless organs are always nourished at the 

 expense of the organism, and, if entirely useless, are seldom 

 long continued by nature. The ants set us an example in this 

 matter, as they bite the wings off their queens, after mating 

 has transpired. They mean that the queen shall remain at 

 home, nolen volens, and why shall not we require the same of 

 the queen-bee ? Were it not for the necessity of swarming in 

 nature, we should doubtless have been anticipated in this mat- 

 ter by Nature herself. 



Some of our first apiarists think that queens with wings 

 clipped are not as acceptable to the other bees. I have now 

 had experience for thirty years in this practice, and have yet 

 to see the first indication that the above is true. Still, if the 

 queen essays to go with the swarm, and if the apiarist is not 

 at hand, she will sometimes be lost, never regaining the hive ; 

 but in this case the bees will be saved, as they will return with- 

 out fail. Many of our farmers are now keeping bees with 

 marked success and large profits, who could not continue at 



