LOSS OF THE QUBEN. 279 



the case of a colony examined by himself, with the aid of 

 an experienced Apiarian, on the 14th of April, previous. 

 The worker-brood was then found to be healthy. In May 

 following, the bees worked industriously, and built new 

 comb. Soon afterwards they ceased to build, and appeared 

 dispirited ; and when, in the beginning of June, he examined 

 the colony again, he found plenty of drone brood in worker 

 cells ! The queen appeared weak and languid. He con- 

 fined her in a queen cage, and left her in the hive. The 

 bees clustered around the cage ; but next morning the queen 

 was found to be dead. Here we seem to have the com- 

 mencement, progress and termination of superannuation, all 

 in the space of five or six weeks." 



In the Spring, as soon as the bees begin to fly, if their 

 motions are carefully watched, the Apiarian may, even in 

 the common hives, generally ascertain from their actions, 

 whether they are in possession of a fertile queen. If they 

 bring in water, and gather bee-bread with great eagerness, 

 it follows, as a matter of course, that they have brood, and 

 are anxious to obtain the means of its nourishment. If any 

 hive does not industriously gather pollen, or accept the rye 

 flour upon which the others are feasting, and if it refuses 

 clean water put in empty comb, in or near the hive, then 

 there is an almost absolute certainty, either, that it has no 

 queen, or that she is not fertile, or that the hive is seriously 

 infested with worms, or on the very verge of starvation. 



An experienced eye will decide upon the queenlessness 

 (to use the German term,) of a hive, from the restless ap- 

 pearance of the bees. At this period of the year, when 

 they first realize the magnitude of their loss, and before they 

 have become in a manner either reconciled to it, or indiffer- 

 ent to their fate, they roam in an inquiring manner, in and 

 out of the hive, and over its outside as well as inside, and 



