172 Forming Nuclei. 



the first of September, as I have observed that late queens are 

 not only less prolific, but shorter lived. In nature, late queens 

 are rarely produced, and if it is true that they are inferior, it 

 might be explained in the fact that their ovaries remain so long 

 inactive. As queens that are long unmated are utterly worth- 

 less, so, too, freshly mated queens long inactive may become 

 enfeebled. However, some of our best queen-breeders think 

 late queens just as good. Possibly they may be if reared with 

 the proper cautions. 



In eight or ten days the cells are capped, and the apiarist is 

 ready to form his 



NUCLEI. 



A nucleus is simply a miniature colony of bees — a hive and 

 colony on a small scale, for the purpose of rearing and keeping 

 queens. We want the queens, but can afford to each nucleus 

 only a few bees. The nucleus hive, if we use frames not more 

 than one foot square, need be nothing more than an ordinary 

 hive, with chamber confined by a division-board to the capacity 

 of three frames. If our frames are large, then it may be 

 thought best to construct special nucleus hives. These are 

 small hives, whichneednotbemore than six inches each way, that 

 is, in length, breadth, and thickness, and made to contain from 

 four to six frames of corresponding size. These frames are 

 filled with comb. I have for several years used the first named 

 style of nucleus hive, and have found it advantageous to have 

 a few long hives made, each to contain five chambers, while 

 each chamber is entirely separate from the one next to it, is 

 five inches wide, and is covered by a separate, close-fitting 

 board, and the whole by a common cover. The entrance for 

 the two end chambers is at the ends near the same side of the 

 hive. The middle chamber has its entrance at the middle of 

 the side near which are the end entrances, while the other two 

 chambers open on the opposite side, as far apart as is possible. 

 The outside might be painted different colors to correspond 

 with the divisions, if thought necessary, especially on the side 

 with two openings. Yet I have never taken this precaution, 

 nor have I been troubled much by losing queens. They have 

 almost invariably entered their own apartments when returning 

 from their wedding tour. These hives I use to keep queens 

 in during the summer. Except the apiarist engages in queea- 



