LOSS OF QUfiENS. 245 



curred, and occasionally at evening, the bees may be 

 seen running about in the greatest consternation, out- 

 side, to and fro on the sides. Some will fly off a short 

 distance and return ; one will run to another, and 

 ■then to another, still in hopes, no doubt, of finding 

 their lost sovereign ! A neighboring hive close by, 

 on the same bench, will probably receive a portion, 

 which will leldom resist an accession under such cir- 

 cumstances.- All this will be going on while other 

 hives are quiet. Towards the middle of the day, this 

 confusion will be less marked ; but the next morning 

 it will be exhibited again, though not so plainly, and 

 cease after the third, when they become apparently 

 reconciled to their fate. 



They will continue their labors as usual, bringing in 

 pollen and honey. Here I am obliged to differ with 

 writers who tell us that all labor will now cease. I 

 hope the reader will not be deceived by supposing 

 that because the bees are bringing in pollen, that they 

 must have a queen ; I can assure you it is not always 

 the case. 



THE RESULT. 



The number of bees will gradually decrease, and be 

 all gone by the early part of winter, leaving a good 

 supply of honey, and ah extra quantity of bee-bread, 

 as before mentioned, because there has been no young 

 brood to consume it. This is the case when a large 

 family was left at the time of the loss. "When but 

 few bees are left, it is very different ; the combs are 

 unprotected by a covering of bees ;. tjie moth deposits 



