AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 



105 



the hive and don't disturb it again for three or four days, 

 long before which she will probably have been released, 

 when the cage can be removed. 



CANDY. 



I have spoken of Candy for use in the queen nursery 

 and introducing cages ; thd following is the best way of 

 making it. Crush up some loaf sugar very fine; if a 

 good deal of candy is needed, as when commercial queen 

 rearing, a good coffee mill is best for this work. The 

 sugar should be like flour; beware of buying ground 

 sugar, as there is frequently starch or some foreign 

 matter mixed with it that is death to bees. Warm some 

 honey, but be sure it comes from a clean hive, and mix 

 a little (it requires very little) with the ground sugar. 

 Knead it well and add more sugar until the ball becomes 

 firni but moist ; when the ball of candy is left on a board 

 for 24 hours it should only flatten out a little, it is then 

 right. It will do for nursery, introducing and shipping 

 cages. 



DRONE TRAPS. 



When queen rearing, if there be any undesirable 

 drones flying in the apiary they may be trapped and 

 destroyed by placing drone traps (Fig. 63) in front of 

 the hives containing them. Some also use them for 



Fig. 63. DRONE AND QUEEN TRAP. 



trapping queens at swarming time, I have never used 

 them for this purpose, so cannot speak of their useful- 

 ness or otherwise in this respect. No apiary should be 

 without a few of them. 



