446 THE ITALIAN BEE. 



tinguished by her brighter colors. When, in consequence of 

 such interruptions, the queen retreated to the opposite end of 

 the hive, he usually found her, half an hour thereafter, on 

 the same comb she had occupied before, engaged in laying 

 e<'"s. Such disturbances, if the combs be not broken or 



no ' 



materially damaged, he thinks, do no injury; but that, on 

 the contrary, they not unfrequently produce a certain excite- 

 ment among the bees, which impels ihem to issue in greater 

 numbers, and labor with increased assiduity. 



" The general diffusion of this species of bee," says 

 Dzlerzon, " will form as marked an era in the bee-culture of 

 Germany, as did the introduction of my improved Jiives. 

 The profit derived by the farmer from feeding stock, de- 

 pends not alone on due attention to the habits and wants of 

 the animals, but mainly on the character of the breed itself. 

 So also with the bee. We find marked differences in point 

 of industry, even among our common bees ; but the Italian 

 bee surpasses these in every respect. A chief difiicully in 

 the way of a more general attention to bee-culture, arises 

 from the almost universal dread of the sting of this insect. 

 Many fear even the momentary pain which it inflicts, though 

 no other unpleasant consequences follow ; but in some per- 

 sons it causes severe and long protracted swelling and in- 

 flammation. This, especially, deters ladies from engaging 

 in this pursuit. All this can be avoided by the introduction 

 of the Italian bee, which is by no means an irascible insect. 

 It will sting only when it happens to be injured, when it is 

 intentionally annoyed, or when it is attacked by robbing 

 bees ; then it will defend itself with undaunted courage, 

 and such are its extraordinary vigor and agility, that ills never 

 overpowered, so long as the colony is in a normal condition. 

 Colonies of common bees may speedily be converted into 

 Italian stocks, by simply removing the queen from each, and 



