Introducing Queens 



To introduce a queen to a colony of bees, two things must be well 

 considered — the condition of the bees and the condition of the queen. 

 The condition and behavior of the queen is verj' important. If she will 

 only walk about upon the combs in a quiet and queenly manner, and go 

 on with her egg-laying, she is almost certain to be accepted if other 

 conditions are favorable. Let her run and "squeal," utter that sharp 

 'zeep, zeep. zeep," and the bees immediately start in pursuit. Soon 

 the queen is in the center of a ball of tightly clinging bees, and the 

 only course is to smoke the bees severely until they release the queen 

 from their embrace, when she must he recaged for another trial. Right 

 here a caution: Don't hold the smoker too near the ball of bees, as hot 

 smoke seems to infuriate the bees into stinging the queen. Hold the 

 smoker far enough a\\'ay so that the smoke will become cooled before 

 reaching the bees. Dropping the ball into a cup of water has been 

 recommended to induce the bees to release the queen. To the inex- 

 perienced, this may be the better plan, as it often happens that one of 

 the bees will grasp the queen and endeavor to sting her, smoke or no 

 smoke, and, in the attempt to rescue the queen, a novice is quite likely 

 to injure her. 



The Simmins method of introducing queens is an illustration of 

 how great a part is played by the attitude of the queen toward the 

 workers. He removes the reigning queen a few hours previous to 

 liberating the new queen, and then, just at, dusk, so late that the 

 bees are through flying, and too late for the queen to take wing, the 

 queen is released at the top of the hive and allowed to run down 

 among the combs. .A.nd here comes in the important point: For half 

 an hour before the queen is released, she is kept away from the bees 

 and away from food ; hence when she comes in contact with the bee^ 

 she is hungry, and at once asks for food, instead of racing about the 

 combs. The bees begin to feed and caress her, and all goes well. 

 I believe Mr. Simmins claims that this method is almost infallible ; and 

 I remember that I once introduced ten queens by this plan without 

 the loss of one. It was during a honey-flow, however, and many 

 jjlans that prove successful at such a time may miscarry at times when 



