248 BEE MANIPULATION. [Ch. v. 



there is a little honey, so that she may be independent 

 of the bees for food, and as near the brood as i may be ; 

 press it into the comb as far as the middle, and close the 

 hive and leave the bees undisturbed for three days — less 

 will mostly suffice, but it is best to be on the safe side. 

 The royal cells that are sure to have been commenced 

 should now be cut away with a penknife, and then the 

 new queen may be carefully released. If the hive is 

 one that permits it, her reception should be watched. If 

 the bees make way for her and caress her with their 

 antennae, all will be well, and the comb may be gently 

 restored to its position and the hive shut up. But if 

 they cluster in a ball around her, her death is intended ; 

 and if they cannot readily be induced to separate they 

 should be taken out and dropped into lukewarm water 

 (which will hurt none of them), and the queen re- 

 encaged for another day or so — that is, if she has not 

 already met her doom, which is all uncertain : Mr. 

 Langstroth says he has had several queens stung to 

 death before they had quitted his fingers ! We prefer 

 effecting her release, then shutting up the hive and leaving 

 the bees quietly to themselves. 



We may remark here with regard to these acts of 

 surrounding a new queen, that they evidently arise from 

 a great number rushing upon her at once for the purpose 

 of stinging her, but that very frequently such purpose is 

 frustrated by the immovable position in which the inner- 

 bees are held. Suffocation however will soon effect the, 



