290 LOSS OF THE QUEEN. 



from the bees, I should feel quite disposed to laugh it to 

 scorn. 



In the chapter on the bee-moth, I omitted to notice the 

 fact, that a colony suffering for the want of food, becomes 

 too weak and dispirited, to make any effectual opposition 

 to the entrance'of the moth, even although the stock may be 

 strong in numbers and in possession of a fertile queen. Fewer 

 battles, I imagine, would be fought, if the doughty combatants 

 were always compelled to fight upon empty stomachs ! and 

 bees when reduced to the verge of starvation, become re- 

 luctant converts to non-resistant doctrines. 



Since ascertaining the cause why so many queens are lost, 

 I have visited the large Apiary of Judge Fishback of Batavia, 

 Ohio, where I found that being compelled to set his colonies 

 near together, he had, for years, been aware of the precau- 

 tions necessary to prevent the loss of his young queens. 

 The fronts of his hives were painted of diffierent colors, and 

 the entrances made to face in various ways, to assist the bees. 



If possible, the hives should not stand very close together, 

 but be scattered about over the owner's premises, so as to be, 

 at least, ten or fifteen feet apart. If this is done, we shall 

 soon cease to have so many complaints of the bee-moth. No 

 bee-keeper who has his hives so arranged, that the queens 

 are liable to make mistakes, need ever expect to escape 

 from heavy losses. Let him put a number of swarming 

 stocks, managed in the ordinary way, on a bench in an 

 Apiary, under circumstances similar to those described, and 

 he will never be able, without constant renewal, to keep 

 their number good. The hives which do not swarm, will do 

 well enough, retaining their fertile queen, who is in no dan- 

 ger of being lost : but many of those which swarm, will be 

 robbed by other bees, or fall a prey to the bee-moth, or if 

 they escape these calamities, will dwindle in numbers until 

 all the occupants have perished. 



