QUEEN CAGES. 127 



porarily confining her. In strengthening stocks by the 

 addition of other Bees, it is also advisable to secure the 

 reigning Queen for a day or two as a precautionary 

 measure against the malice of the strangers. For this 

 purpose cages of various patterns are used. 



The most simple form is that of a coarse wire gauze cup, 



Fig. 52. 



with a 5-inch tin margin soldered on, as Fig. 52. The 

 Queen, with or without a few of her own Workers, is placed 

 therein, a card slipped underneath to keep her there, and 

 then transferred to the comb where it is desired to fix it. 

 The card being now withdrawn, the cage is gently 

 pressed down with a screwing motion into the comb as' 

 far as the bottom of the cell, there to remain the neces- 

 sary time. It is advisable, if practicable, to tie it there, 

 as the Bees, in their anxiety to get at the new Queen, 

 will sometimes undermine and hoist it up, when the 

 Queen may get out too soon, perhaps meeting an execu- 

 tioner. In fixing this cage, select a comb near the 

 centre of the hive where there is some honey, so that 

 her majesty may have food at hand. This is not abso- 

 lutely essential, and in straw skeps the cage may be fixed 

 on the bung at the top, care being taken that there is 

 sufficient space beneath when replaced for the Bees to 

 crowd about it. 



Mr. W. Carr has invented a very simple and perfect 

 Queen cage which any mere novice can 'make in a few 



