Spring Management 
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wing is cut off with fine scissors. The queen may be held 
with her wing against wood, when it may be cut with a sharp 
penknife, but scissors are safer, at least for the beginner. 
Some beekeepers clip the queen’s wing when she is introduced, 
in case queens are mated from nuclei, but some colonies may 
rear queens without the knowledge of the owner and an 
examination for unclipped queens in the spring will greatly 
reduce swarms which issue with queens capable of flight. 
Some beekeepers, so that they can tell a queen’s age, clip 
opposite wings on alternate years or make a distinctive cut 
each year. It may perhaps be well to warn the beginner 
against clipping the wings of an unmated queen. If egg- 
laying is progressing regularly the queen is of course mated. 
Summary of favorable spring conditions. 
The conditions favorable to the rapid increase in the size 
of the colony in the spring may be restated as follows: 
(1) a large number of vigorous workers, due to successful 
wintering, (2) a prolific queen, (3) abundant stores properly 
located in the hive so as to be easily accessible to the bees, 
(4) favorable weather conditions, (5) fresh pollen and nectar 
and water for the bees, (6) a prolific race or strain of bees, 
(7) good brood combs of worker cells in quantity sufficient 
for the needs of the colony. 
QUESTIONABLE MANIPULATIONS 
The manipulations previously discussed in this chapter 
are not all practiced by all beekeepers but they are not the 
subject of controversy. On the other hand, there are two 
spring manipulations that have been the subject of much 
discussion by beekeepers and they are still in dispute. These 
are spring stimulative feeding and the spreading of the brood. 
Stimulative feeding. 
So long as nectar is coming to the hive in abundance, the 
colony is stimulated to the maximum brood-rearing possible 
