64 FORTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES. 



her practice is different. She thinks it better to go more 

 slowly and make sure of finding the queen first time 

 going over. She takes more time to go over the combs 

 the first time, but she doesn't often have to go over the 

 combs a second time ; so perhaps one way is as good as 

 the other. 



If the queen is not found the second time going over, 

 she may be found the third time, but it is quite possible 

 that she is hid in such a way that it may be impossible 

 to find her with long searching. So it is economy to 

 close the hive, and try it again another day, or at least to 

 wait half an hour. 



AIDS TO FINDING QUEEN. 



If, for some special reason, it is very important to 

 find the queen without any postponement, sometimes the 

 combs are put in pairs. Two of the combs are put in an 

 empty hive, the two being close together; then another 

 pair is put an inch or more distant from the first pair, 

 and the remaining combs in the hive on the stand are 

 arranged in pairs the same way. Wherever the queen is, 

 it will not be long before she will be in the middle of 

 whatever pair of combs she is on. Going on with work 

 at another hive, I return after a little, and look again 

 for the queen. Lifting out the comb nearest me, I look 

 first on the side of its mate in the hive, and if I do not see 

 the queen there, I quickly look on the opposite side of 

 the comb in my hand. I am pretty sure to find her in 

 the middle of one of the pairs. 



If the pairs are sufficiently separated from each other 

 (I don't mean the two combs of each pair separated, for 

 the two combs in each pair should be as close together 

 as possible, but that one pair should be far enough from 

 another pair so that the bees should not communicate), 

 the bees will, after standing long enough, show signs 

 of uneasiness by running over the combs, all but the one 



