218 
THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 
colony, wc can easily see how they find it out; for as a 
tender mother, in time of danger, is all anxiety for her 
helpless children, so bees, when alarmed, always seek first 
to assure themselves of the safety of their queen. If, 
however, the queen is very carefully removed, a day, or 
-even more, may elapse, before they realize theii’ loss.* 
How do they first become aware of it ? Perhaps some 
dutiful bee, anxious to embrace her mother, makes diligent 
search for her through the hive. The intelligence that 
she cannot be found being noised abroad, the whole family 
is speedily alarmed. At such times, instead of calmly 
conversing, by touching each other’s antennae, they may 
be seen violently striking them together, and by the most 
impassioned demonstrations manifesting their agony and 
despair. 
I once removed the queen of a small colony, the bees 
of which took wing and filled the air, in search of her. 
Although she was returned in a few minutes, royal cells 
were found two days later. The queen was unhurt, and 
the cells imtenanted. Was this work begun by some that 
did not believe the others, when assured that she was 
safe ? or from the apprehension that she might be removed 
again ? 
All colonies whose queens are to be impregnated should 
be watched, that theApiaiian maybe seasonably aj)prised 
of their loss. Such colonies, if provided with suitable 
brood-comb, will seldom foi sake the hive, if the queen is 
lost. An old stock which cannot be sui)pplicd with a 
queen or the means of raising one, should be broken up, 
• “ For eighteen hours after the queen tVos taken away, the usual labors of tuo 
hive proceeded as regularly os If she were still present; but no sooner was her 
dlscovorod than nil was agitation and tumult — the bees hurried backward and for* 
ward over Iho combs, with u loud noise, rushed In crowds out of the hive, iis If 
going lo swarm, and In short, exhibited utl the syiiiptoiiis of boreaveiiieut and de 
