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hives are of equal size, shape and color, crowded close 
to each other and all facing in one direction. To 
avoid this the hives should be of various colors, and 
not crowded side by side ; or have some distinguish- 
able objects in front of them — trees or bushes answer- 
ing a good purpose, which will enable the queen to mark 
the position and appearance of her habitation. Queens 
lost in this manner, if from a second or after-swarm, or 
from a stock from which a swarm has left, is always a 
serious loss, as the brood in the stock is too far ad- 
vanced to raise a queen to repair their loss, and after- 
swarms are entirely without brood. 
When the loss of the queen is ascertained by the 
workers, their agitation will soon give evidence of the 
fact. The bees rush from one part of the hive to an- 
other ; out of their hive and back again ; running 
about the entrance in great haste, and up and down on 
the sides of the hive as if in search of something lost. 
This commotion is noticeable for about three days us- 
ually in the morning when other colonies are quiet. 
After becoming fully satisfied of their loss, they settle 
down quietly, and sometimes begin to work, yet there 
is a dissatisfied appearance noticeable ; when returning 
from the field, instead of entering in haste as usual, 
they are slow in their movements, lingering on the 
alighting board as if in a quandary whether to enter or 
not ; the drones are tolerated while other colonies have 
killed or excluded them ; the number of bees are re- 
