AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 



103 



large central hole is i^ in. in diameter, and the two 

 smaller ones on the edge are i \^ in., and fin. in dia- 

 meter and bored through to the 

 central hole; the latter is then 

 covered with wire cloth on each 

 side to make the cage complete. 

 The queen cell is placed in 

 the larger hole on the edge, 

 and candy food in the smaller 

 one. The frame with cells 

 should be suspended in the 

 centre of an upper story of a 

 hive till the cells are required 

 or the queens emerge. The 

 same cages can be used to 

 introduce the young queens. 



Fig. 59. -NURSERY CAGE. 



INTRODUCING QUEENS. 



As a rule it is not difficult to introduce an alien queen 

 to a colony, be she a virgin or laying, so long as certain 

 rules are observed. The ordinary conditions to ensure 

 safety are — that the colony must first be made queenless, 

 that is, the old queen must be removed. In the next 

 place the new one, when first placed in the hive, should 

 be protected in such a way that while the bees can see 

 and even feel her with their antennae, they are prevented 

 from stinging her, as they might do before becoming 

 used to her. And lastly, the colony should be fed if 

 there is no honey being gathered while the queen is 

 being introduced. There are exceptions to the second 

 clause. In the busy season, when honey is coming in 

 rapidly, if the queens can be changed without much 

 disturbance of the hive, the new one is likely to be 

 accepted just as readily if she is turned loose on the 

 frames as she would be were she protected for a day or 

 two. I have often introduced them in this manner with 

 success. On the other hand, I have had great difficulty 

 with some colonies when trying to get them to accept 

 a queen when introduced in the usual way. 



