INTRODUCING QUEENS. 
9i 
for her recovery, yet, on hastily returning her an hour or 
more after, I have seen them, in some cases, instantly sting 
her to death. The cause of this singular and most unnat- 
ural treatment was for some time a mystery ; but after re- 
peated experimeuts I became convinced that it was owing 
greatly to the manner of presentation, and the temper of the 
recipients when she was presented. Subsequent experi- 
ments have confirmed this opinion. The worker bee is ex- 
ceedingly watchful and impulsive. The slightest quick mo- 
tion arouses and excites it for an attack, and if, when in this 
condition, one of its own sister workers alights suddenly near 
it she is liable to be seized, and I have sometimes seen her 
stung to death before the mistake was discovered. Once ex- 
cited to oombat, they seem completely abandoned to the de- 
struction of the object of their attack ; and although they 
quickly recognize the scent of a queen, yet, under the im- 
pulse of angry excitement, they do not often stop short of 
her destruction. The knowledge of these facts has led to 
the adoption ot various expedients for the safe introduction 
of queens. The first, and probably safest, mode which I 
shall describe is as follows : In the morning of a pleasant day, 
when the bees are flying freely, take from one of the most 
populous hives four or five combs containing honey and nearly 
mature brood. Shako from them, into their own hive, the 
old or hatched bees, and hang the combs properly into an 
empty hive, which should then be carefully closed so as to 
prevent the escape of the Italian queen, which should then 
be placed in it. After removing the before mentioned pop- 
ulous colony from its stand to another at some distance, place 
the hive containing the Italian queen on the stand from 
which the other was removed, and partially open its entrance. 
The bees which have been out gathering honey, on return- 
ing to the accustomed spot, will enter the hive containing the 
Italian queen. Gorged with honey, exhausted by the fa- 
tigue of a long flight, disconcerted by the apparent desertion 
which has taken place during their absence, and not knowing 
where to fiod their original hive, they will at once adopt the 
new home and queen. 
If this operation is performed between the first of May 
and the middle of June,' by filling the empty space left in 
both hives with empty frames, two colonics may be formed 
of the one, which is one method of performing what is called 
