LOSS OF QUEENS. 221 



worms, when just hatched out and before they fortify 

 themselves, that they very soon fall a prey to their 

 ravages; or if they escape the worms, their weak 

 and defenseless situation will ere long be discovered 

 by other bees in the apiary, some fine, warm day, 

 when they will immediately commence to plunder 

 the hive of its honey, accomplishing it in a very short 

 time, exciting them to such a degree that they will 

 attack almost any hive in the apiary. I have known 

 them in one or two instances, when greatly excited 

 by having carried off the honey from a defenseless 

 hive, concentrate on a very strong and vigorous stock, 

 and subduing them in a very few minutes, carry off 

 the honey ; hence the loss of a queen sometimes leads 

 to very serious results, entailing heavy loss on the 

 owner. Sometimes it extends to neighboring bee- 

 keepers, and not unfrequently whole neighborhoods, 

 when they get excited to robbing, carrying death and 

 destruction wherever they go, and are only arrested 

 in their plundering by a change of weather. 



It is of the utmost importance that bee-keepers 

 should fully understand this matter, and be prepared 

 to guard against such disasters, which occur to a 

 greater or less extent every year, few suspecting the 

 real cause. 



I have very frequently heard such statements as 

 the following : " I lost one of my best hives of bees. 

 It sent off two or three swarms " (as the case may be) 

 " this summer, and made two boxes of honey. It 

 was my very best stock in the spring and forepart of 

 the summer ; but a few days ago I noticed other bees 

 19* 



