You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>Better</strong> <strong>Queens</strong> <strong>by</strong> <strong>Jay</strong> <strong>Smith</strong><br />
queens introduced that way. Later he wrote that he lost two in introducing<br />
and wanted me to replace them. No, we did not replace them but did give<br />
him a lecture on introduction. I doubt if it took, for we never heard from him<br />
again. I have known queens that were not properly introduced to stay on the<br />
bottom board for several days before beginning to lay. Then they would lay<br />
for a short time and be superseded. I do not know what caused the injury as<br />
they did not appear to have been balled. The queen being a very nervous<br />
creature may have received a nervous shock which injured her. We must<br />
remember it is as much the attitude of the queen as it is of the bees that<br />
makes for perfect introduction. When the queen emerges from the regular<br />
mailing cage she is often frightened for she suddenly finds herself among<br />
strange bees. Often in her fright she goes taxiing over the combs squealing as<br />
she goes. As she does this the bees seem not to know just what is going on<br />
but realize there is some excitement and they want in on it so, as the queen<br />
goes <strong>by</strong>, a bee may grab a leg and others join in and form a ball around the<br />
queen either killing or inuring her. Sometimes they sting her but not often.<br />
Sometimes the queen's legs are broken. Such queens never amount to<br />
anything and the owner of such queens will report that he does not like that<br />
strain of bees for they just do not get honey.<br />
How Soon May a Queen Be Released Among the Bees?<br />
Our vast amount of experimenting along that line leads us to believe that<br />
when conditions are not favorable, as when there is no honey flow, the<br />
queens should not be liberated under four days. When conditions are favorable,<br />
as when there is a honey flow, three days will suffice. Even then, if released<br />
from an ordinary mailing cage, she may be injured. Now, how does our cage<br />
remedy all these defects? In our cage we use the principle that is<br />
acknowledged <strong>by</strong> all to be good. This principle is described in the bee<br />
literature of 60 years ago. That principle is allowing the bees to get into the<br />
cage with the queen instead of the queen getting out among the bees. As far<br />
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesbetterqueenswpics.htm (93 of 119)20-12-2006 21:42:55
Change language