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MYSTERIES
OF
BEE-KEEPING EXPLAINED:
BEING A COMPLETE
ANALYSIS OF THE WHOLE SUBJECT;
CONSISTING OF
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BEES, DIRECTIONS FOR OBTAINING THE GREATEST
AMOUNT OF PURE SURPLUS HONEY WITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE
EXPENSE, REMEDIES FOR LOSSES GIVEN, AND THE SCIENCE OF
"LUCK" FULLY ILLUSTRATED--THE RESULT OF MORE
THAN TWENTY YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN
EXTENSIVE APIARIES.
BY M. QUINBY,
PRACTICAL BEE-KEEPER.
NEW YORK:
C. M. SAXTON, AGRICULTURAL BOOK PUBLISHER
152 FULTON STREET.
1853.
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by
M. QUINBY,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States
for the Southern District of New York.
E. O. JENKINS, PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER,
114 NASSAU STREET, N. YORK.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
BRIEF HISTORY.
Three kinds of Bees, 9
Queen described, 9
Description and Duty of Workers, 10
Description of Drones, 11
Most Brood in Spring, 11
Their Industry, 12
CHAPTER II.
HIVES.
Hives to be thoroughly made, 13
Different opinions about them, 14
The Author has no Patent to recommend, 14
Speculators supported long enough, 15
Prefix of Patent a bad recommendation, 15
Ignorance of affairs and committees, 15
Opposition to simplicity, 16
By gaining one point produce another evil, 16
First Delusion, 17
Chamber Hive, 17
Mrs. Griffith's Hive, 18
Weeks' Improvement, 18
Inclined Bottom-Boards do not throw out all the worms, 19
Objections to suspended hives, 19
See bees often, 20
Hall's Patent, 21
Jones's Patent, 21
An Experiment, 21
Reason of failure in dividing hive, 22
Cause of starving in such hives, 23
Advantages of the changeable hive considered, 24
Variation of these hives, 25
Expense in constructing changeable hives, 25
The surplus honey will contain bee-bread, 26
Description of Cutting's changeable hive, 26
First objection cost of construction, 28
Hives can be made with less expense, 29
Old breeding cells will last a long time, 29
Cells larger than necessary at first, 30
Expense of renewing combs, 30
Best to use old combs as long as they will last, 31
Method for Pruning when necessary, 31
Tools for Pruning, 32
Use of Tobacco Smoke, 33
Further objections to a sectional hive, 34
Non-Swarmers, 35
Contrast of profit, 35
Principle of swarming not understood, 36
Not to be depended upon, 37
Hives not always full before swarming, 37
Size of hives needed, 37
An Experiment, 37
Bees do not increase if full after the first year in same hive, 38
Gillmore's system doubted, 39
Utility of moth-proof hives doubted, 39
Instincts of the bee always the same, 40
Profit the object, 41
Common hive recommended, 42
Size Important, 42
Small hives most liable to accidents, 42
Apt to deceive, 43
Unprofitable if too large, 43
Correct size between two extremes, 43
Size for warm latitudes, 44
Larger hives more safe for long Winters or backward Spring, 44
2,000 inches safe for this section, 45
Kind of Wood, width of Board, &c., 46
Shape of little consequence, 46
Directions for making hives, 47
Size of cap and boxes, 48
Miner's Hive, 48
Directions for making holes, 49
A Suggestion, 50
Glass boxes preferred, 51
Glass boxes--how made, 51
Guide-combs necessary, 52
Wood Boxes, 53
Cover for Hives, 54
Jars and Tumblers--how prepared, 54
Perfect Observatory Hive described, 55
One like Common Hive preferred, 56
What may be seen, 56
Directions for making Glass Hive, 57
Plate for Hive, 61
CHAPTER III.
BREEDING.
Imperfectly Understood, 62
Good stocks seldom without brood, 63
How small stocks commence, 64
Different with larger ones, 65
How Pollen is stored in the breeding season, 65
Operation of Laying, and the Eggs described, 66
Time from the Egg to the perfect Bee, 67
Rough treatment of the young Bee, 67
Guess-work, 68
Terms applied to young Bees, 69
Discrepancy in time in rearing brood as given by Huber, 70
The number of Eggs deposited by the Queen guessed at, 71
A test for the presence of a Queen, 73
When Drones are reared, 74
When Queens, 74
Liability of being destroyed, 76
Drones destroyed when honey is scarce, 77
Old Queen leaves with the first swarm, 78
A young Queen takes the place of her mother in the old stock, 79
Other Theories, 80
Subject not understood, 80
Necessity for further observation, 84
Two sides of the question, 85
CHAPTER IV.
BEE PASTURAGE.
Substitute for Pollen, 88
Manner of packing it, 89
Alder yields the first, 89
Fruit Flowers important in good weather, 91
Red Raspberry a favorite, 91
Catnip, Mother-wort and Hoarhound, are sought after, 92
Singular fatality attendant on Silkweed, 93
Large yield from Basswood, 96
Garden Flowers unimportant, 97
Honey-dew, 97
Singular Secretion, 98
Secretions of the Aphis, 98
Advantages of Buckwheat, 101
Amount of honey collected from it, 101
Do Bees injure the crop? 102
Are not Bees an advantage to vegetation? 103
A test for the presence of Queen doubted, 106
An extra quantity of Pollen not always detrimental, 107
What combs are generally free from Bee-bread, 108
Manner of packing stores, 108
Philosophy in filling a cell with honey, 109
Long cells sometimes turned upward, 110
Is a dry or wet season best for honey? 111
How many Stocks should be kept, 112
Three principal sources of honey, 112
CHAPTER V.
WAX.
Is Pollen converted into Wax? 115
How is it obtained? 115
Huber's account of a commencement of comb, 117
Best time to witness comb-making, 118
Manner of working Wax, 119
Are crooked Combs a disadvantage? 120
Uncertainty in weight of Bees, 122
Some wax wasted, 124
Water necessary in Comb-making, 124
Remarks, 126
CHAPTER VI.
PROPOLIS.
What used for, 128
Is it an elaborate or natural substance? 129
Huber's Opinion, 129
Further Proof, 129
Remarks, 132
CHAPTER VII.
THE APIARY.
Its location, 132
Decide Early, 133
Bees mark their location on leaving the hive, 134
Changing stand attended with loss, 134
Can be taken some distance, 135
Danger of setting Stocks too close, 135
Space between Hives, 136
Small Matters, 136
Economy, 137
Cheap arrangement of stands, 138
Canal Bottom-board discarded, 139
Some advantage in being near the earth, 139
Utility of Bee-Houses doubted, 141
CHAPTER VIII.
ROBBERIES.
Not properly understood, 142
Improper Remedies, 143
Difficulty in deciding, 144
Weak families in most danger, 144
Their Battles, 145
Bad policy to raise in Hives, 146
Indications of Robbers, 146
A Duty, 147
A Test, 147
Robbing usually commences on a warm day, 148
Remedies, 149
Common Opinion, 149
A case in point, 149
Further Directions, 150
Common cause of commencing, 151
Spring the worst time, 152
No necessity to have Bees plundered in the fall, 153
CHAPTER IX.
FEEDING BEES.
Should be a last resort, 154
Care needed, 154
Apparent contradiction when feeding causes starvation, 155
How long it will do to wait before feeding, 156
Directions for feeding, 157
Whole Families may desert the Hive, 158
Objections to general feeding, 159
Arrangement for feeding, 159
Feeding to induce early swarms, 161
What may be fed, 162
Is candied honey injurious? 162
CHAPTER X.
DESTRUCTION OF WORMS.
Some in the best Stocks, 164
How Found, 165
A tool for their destruction, 165
Mistaken Conclusions, 167
Objections to suspended Bottom-board, 167
Advantage of the Hive close to the board, 168
Objection Answered, 169
Insufficiency of inclined Bottom-board 169
A Moth can go where Bees can, 170
Trap to catch Worms, 170
Box for Wren, 171
CHAPTER XI.
PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF BOXES.
Advantage of the Patent Vender, 172
Time of putting on--Rule, 172
Making holes after the Hive is full, 174
Advantage of proper arrangement, 174
Directions for boring holes in full Stock, 176
To be taken off when filled, 177
Time taken to fill a box, 178
When to take off boxes part full, 178
Tobacco Smoke preferred to Slides, 178
Manner of disposing of the Bees in the boxes, 179
Bees disposed to carry away honey, 179
Not disposed to sting, 180
Rule, 181
CHAPTER XII.
SECURING HONEY FROM THE MOTH.
Two things to be prevented, 181
Apt to be deceived about the Worms, 182
Their progress described, 182
A Solution offered, 183
Method of killing Worms in boxes, 185
Freezing destroys them, 186
Objection to using Boxes before the Hive is full, 187
CHAPTER XIII.
SWARMING.
Time to expect them, 187
All Bee-Keepers should understand it as it is, 188
Means of understanding it, 188
Inverting a stock rather formidable at first, 189
Requisites before preparation of Queen's cells, 189
State of Queen-cell when used, 190
State when swarms issue, 190
Clustering outside not always to be depended upon, 191
Examinations--the result, 191
Remarks, 192
Conflicting Theories, 192
Both Old and Young leave with swarms, 192
Cause of the Queen's inability to fly suggested, 193
Evidence of the Old Queen's leaving, 193
Mr. Weeks's Theory not satisfactory, 194
Particular directions for testing the matter, 196
Empty Hives to be ready, 197
Bottom-boards for hiving, 197
Description of swarm issuing, 198
Manner of hiving can be varied, 199
Usual Methods, 199
When out of reach, 200
When they cannot be shaken off, 202
All should be made to enter, 203
Should be taken to the stand immediately, 203
Protection from the Sun necessary, 203
Clustering Bushes, 204
How swarms are generally managed that leave for the woods, 205
Nothing but Bees needed in a Hive, 206
Seldom go off without clustering, 207
Do swarms choose a location before swarming? 207
Means of arresting a swarm, 208
Some Compulsion, 208
How far will they go in search of honey? 209
Two or more swarms liable to unite, 211
Disadvantage, 211
Can often be prevented, 212
Indications of swarming inside the Hive, 212
Preventing a swarm issuing for a time, 213
To prevent swarms uniting with those already hived, 213
When two have united--the method of separating, 214
No danger of a sting by the Queen, 215
Some precautions in hiving two swarms together, 216
How to find Queen when two strangers are together, 217
Boxes for double swarms immediately, 218
Returning a part to the old stock, 218
Method of uniting, 219
When care is necessary, 219
Swarm-Catcher, 220
Swarms sometimes return, 222
Repetition prevented, 222
Liability to enter wrong stocks, 223
First issues generally choose fair weather, 224
After Swarms, 225
Their Size, 225
Time after the first, 225
Piping of the Queen, 225
May always be heard before and after swarm, 226
Time of continuance varies, 226
Time between second and third issues, 227
Not always to be depended upon, 227
A Rule for the time of these issues, 228
When it is useless to expect more swarms, 229
Plurality of Queens destroyed, 229
The Manner, 230
Theory doubted, 231
After-swarms different in appearance from the first,
when about to issue, 232
Time of day, weather, &c., 233
Swarms necessary to be seen, 233
Returning after-swarms to the old stock, 235
When they should be returned, 235
Method of doing it, 235
More care needed by After-swarms when hived, 237
Two may be united, 237
CHAPTER XIV.
LOSS OF QUEENS.
Of swarms that lose their Queen, 238
A suggestion and an answer, 239
A disputed question, 240
A multitude of Drones needed, 241
The Queen liable to be lost in her excursions, 243
The time when it occurs, 243
Indications of the loss, 244
The Result, 245
Age of Bees indicated, 246
Necessity of care, 246
Remedy, 247
Mark the date of swarms on the Hive, 248
Obtaining a Queen from worker brood, 249
They are poor dependence, 249
CHAPTER XV.
ARTIFICIAL SWARMS.
Principles should be understood, 252
Some Experiments, 253
The result unsatisfactory, 253
Further Experiments, 254
A successful method, 256
Advantages of this method, 257
Artificial swarms only safe near the swarming season, 259
Sometimes hazardous, 259
Some Objections, 259
Natural and artificial swarms equally prosperous, 260
This matter too often delayed, 261
Is the age of the Queen important? 261
CHAPTER XVI.
PRUNING.
Different opinions as to time, 262
Another time preferred, 263
Should not be delayed, 263
Objection to Pruning, 264
Stocks pruned now are better for winter, 265
CHAPTER XVII.
DISEASED BROOD.
Not generally understood, 266
My own experience, 267
Description of Disease, 267
The cause uncertain, 268
Remedial Experiments, 268
Public inquiry and answers, 268
Answers not satisfactory, 270
A cause suggested, 270
Reasons for the opinion, 272
Cause of its spreading, 273
Not easily detected at first, 274
Symptoms to be observed, 274
Scalding the honey to destroy the poison for feeding, 275
When to examine stocks that have swarmed, 275
Care in selecting stock-hives for winter, 276
Accusations not always right, 276
CHAPTER XVIII.
IRRITABILITY OF BEES.
Their means of defence, 277
Time of greatest Irritability, 278
Proper Conduct, 278
How to proceed when attacked, 279
A person's breath offensive, and other causes, 279
Their manner of attack, 279
Smoker described, 280
Effect of Tobacco Smoke, 281
Sting described, 282
Does its loss prove fatal? 283
Means of protection, 284
Remedies for stings, 285
CHAPTER XIX.
ENEMIES OF BEES.
Are they all guilty? 286
Rats and Mice, 287
Are all the Birds guilty? 288
King-bird--one word in his favor, 288
Cat-bird acquitted, 289
Toad got clear, 290
Wasps and Hornets not favored, 290
Ants--a word in their favor, 291
Spider condemned, 292
Wax-Moth unrivalled for mischief, 293
Indications of their presence, 296
Management, 296
Care in turning over Hives, 297
Other symptoms of Worms, 298
When they grow larger than usual, 299
Time of Growth, 299
Time of Transformation, 300
Freezing destroys Worms, Cocoon, and Moth, 300
How they pass the Winter, 301
Stocks more liable to be destroyed last of Summer, 301
When Bees are safe, 302
Means to destroy them, 302
Making them drunk and their execution by Chickens, 303
CHAPTER XX.
MELTING DOWN OF COMBS.
The Cause, 304
Effects, 304
First Indications, 305
Prevention, 305
CHAPTER XXI.
FALL MANAGEMENT.
First care, 307
Strong Stocks disposed to plunder, 307
Bees Changeable, 308
Requisites for good Stocks, 308
Great disadvantage of killing the Bees, 309
Section of country may make a difference in
what poor stocks need, 309
When Bees are needed, 310
Caution, 311
Principal Difficulty, 311
How Avoided, 311
Advantages of making one good stock from two poor ones, 312
Two families together will not consume as much as if separate, 312
An Experiment, 312
Season for operating, 313
The Fumigator, 314
Directions for uniting two families, 315
Uniting with Tobacco Smoke, 317
Condition of Stocks in 1851, 318
How they were managed, 318
Cause of their superior Thrift, 319
Swarms partly filled pay better than to cut out the honey, 320
Advantages in transferring, 320
Another method of uniting two families, 321
Uniting Comb and Honey as well as Bees, 322
When feeding should be done for Stock Hives, 323
CHAPTER XXII.
WINTERING BEES.
Different methods have been adopted, 325
The idea of Bees not freezing has led to errors in practice, 326
Appearance of Bees in cold weather, 326
How part of the swarm is frozen, 327
How a small family may all freeze, 327
Frost and Ice sometimes smother Bees, 328
Frost and Ice in a Hive accounted for, 329
The effect of Ice or Frost on Bees and Comb, 330
Frost may cause starvation, 330
Other Difficulties, 330
Further Illustrations, 332
Accumulation of Faeces described by some writers as a disease, 336
The Author's remedy, 337
Buying Bees, 337
Experiments of the Author to get rid of the Frost, 338
Success in this matter, 338
Bees when in the house should be kept perfectly dark, 339
A room made for wintering Bees, 339
Manner of stowing away Hives, 340
Temperature of room, 341
Too much Honey may sometimes be stored, 342
Management of room towards Spring, 342
Time for setting out Bees, 343
Not too many stocks taken out at once, 343
Families may be equalized, 344
Snow need not always prevent carrying out Bees, 344
Does not Analogy prove that Bees should be kept warm in Winter? 345
The next best place for wintering Bees, 346
Evils of wintering in the open air considered, 347
But little risk with good stocks, 348
Effect of keeping second-rate stocks out of the sun, 348
Effects of Snow considered, 349
Stocks to be protected on some occasions, 350
Do the Bees eat more when allowed to come out
occasionally in Winter? 352
CHAPTER XXIII.
SAGACITY OF BEES.
Are not Bees directed alone by instinct? 353
What they do with Propolis, 353
Mending broken Combs, 354
Making passages to every part of their Combs, 355
CHAPTER XXIV.
STRAINING HONEY AND WAX.
Methods of removing Combs from the Hive, 357
Different modes of straining Honey, 358
Getting out Wax--different methods, 360
CHAPTER XXV.
PURCHASING STOCKS AND TRANSPORTING BEES.
Why the word luck is applied to Bees, 362
Rule in taking Bees for a share, 364
A man may sell his "luck," 364
First-rate stocks recommended to begin with, 365
Old stocks are good as any if healthy, 365
Caution respecting diseased brood, 366
Result of ignorance in purchasing, 366
Size of Hives important, 367
How large Hives can be made smaller, 368
Moderate weather best to remove Bees, 369
Preparations for transporting Bees, 370
Securing Bees in the Hive, 370
Best Conveyance, 370
Hive to be inverted, 371
Conclusion, 372
PREFACE.
Before the reader decides that an apology is necessary for the
introduction of another work on bees into the presence of those already
before the public, it is hoped that he will have the patience to
examine the contents of this.
The writer of the following pages commenced beekeeping in 1828, without
any knowledge of the business to assist him, save a few directions
about hiving, smoking them with sulphur, &c. Nearly all the information
to be had was so mingled with erroneous whims and notions, that it
required a long experience to separate essential and consistent points.
It was _impossible_ to procure a work that gave the information
necessary for practice. From that time to the present, no sufficient
guide for the inexperienced has appeared. European works, republished
here, are of but little value. Weeks, Townley, Miner, and others,
writers of this country, within a few years, have given us treatises,
valuable to some extent, but have entirely neglected several chapters,
very important and essential to the beginner. Keeping bees _has_ been,
and is now, by the majority, deemed a hazardous enterprise. The ravages
of the moth had been so great, and loss so frequent, that but little
attention was given to the subject for a long time. Mr. Weeks lost his
entire stock three times in fifteen years. But soon after the discovery
was promulgated, that honey could be taken from a stock without
destroying the bees, an additional attention was manifest, increasing
to a rage in many places. It seems to be easily understood, that
_profit_ must attend success, in this branch of the farmer's stock;
inasmuch as the "bees work for nothing and find themselves." This
interest in bees should be encouraged to continue till enough are kept
to collect all the honey now wasted; which, compared with the present
collections, would be more than a thousand pounds to one. But to
succeed, that is the difficulty. Some eighteen years since, after a
propitious season, an aged and esteemed friend said to me, "It is not
to be expected that you will have such luck always; you must expect
they will run out after a time. I have always noticed, when people have
first-rate luck for a time, that the bees generally take a turn, and
are gone in a few years."
I am not sure but, to the above remarks, may be traced the cause of my
subsequent success. It stimulated me to observation and inquiry. I soon
found that good seasons were the "lucky" ones, and that many lost in an
adverse season, all they had before gained. Also, that strong families
were the only ones on which I could depend for protection against the
moth. This induced the effort to ascertain causes tending to diminish
the size of families, and the application of remedies. Whether success
has attended my efforts or not, the reader can judge, after a perusal
of the work.
It is time that the word "_luck_," as applied to beekeeping, was
discarded. The prevailing opinion, that bees will prosper for one
person more than another, under the same circumstances, is fallacious.
As well might it be applied to the mechanic and farmer. The careless,
ignorant farmer, might occasionally succeed in raising a crop with a
poor fence; but would be liable, at any time, to lose it by trespassing
cattle. He might have suitable soil in the beginning, but without
knowledge, for the proper application of manures, it might fail to
produce; unless a _chance_ application _happened_ to be right.
But with the _intelligent_ farmer the case is different: fences in
order, manures judiciously applied, and with propitious seasons, he
makes a sure thing of it. Call him "_lucky_" if you please; it is his
knowledge, and care, that render him so. So with bee-keeping, the
careful man is the "lucky" one. There can be no effect without a
preceding cause. If you lose a stock of bees, there is a cause or
causes producing it, just as certain as the failure of a crop with the
unthrifty farmer, can be traced to a poor fence, or unfruitful soil.
You may rest assured, that a rail is off your fence of management
somewhere, or the proper applications have not been made. In relation
to bees, these things may not be quite so apparent, yet nevertheless
true. Why is there so much more uncertainty in apiarian science than
other farming operations? It must be attributed to the fact, that among
the thousands who are engaged in, and have studied agriculture, perhaps
not more than one has given his energies to the nature and habits of
bees. If knowledge is elicited in the same ratio, we ought to have a
thousand times more light on one subject than the other, and still
there are some things, even in agriculture, that may yet be learned.
It is supposed, by many, that we already have all the knowledge that
the subject of _bees_ affords. This is not surprising; a person that
was never furnished with a full treatise, might arrive at such
conclusions. Unless his own experience goes deeper, he can have no
means of judging what is yet behind.
In conversation relative to this work, with a person of considerable
scientific attainments, he remarked, "You do not want to give the
natural history of bees at all; that is already sufficiently
understood." And how is it understood; as Huber gives it, or in
accordance with some of our own writers? If we take Huber as a guide,
we find many points recently contradicted. If we compare authors of our
day, we find them contradicting each other. One recommends a peculiarly
constructed hive, as just the thing adapted to their nature and
instincts. If a single point is in accordance with their nature, he
labors to twist all the others to his purpose, although it may involve
a fundamental principle impossible to reconcile. Some one else succeeds
in another point, and proceeds to recommend something altogether
different. False and contradictory assertions are made either through
ignorance, or interest. Interest may blind the judgment, and spurious
history may deceive.
It is folly to expect success in bee-keeping for any length of time,
without a correct knowledge of their nature and instincts; and this we
shall never obtain by the course hitherto pursued. As much of their
labor is performed in the dark, and difficult to be observed, it has
given rise to conjecture and false reasoning, leading to false
conclusions.
When _I_ say a thing _is so_, or say it is _not so_, what evidence has
the reader that it is proved or demonstrated? _My_ mere assertions are
not expected to be taken in preference to another's; of such proof, we
have more than enough. Most people have not the time, patience, or
ability, to set down quietly with close observation, and investigate
the subject thoroughly. Hence it has been found easier to receive error
for truth, than to make the exertion necessary to confute it; the more
so, because there is no guide to direct the investigation. I shall,
therefore, pursue a different course; and for every _assertion_
endeavor to give a test, that the reader may apply and satisfy himself,
and trust to no one. As for theories, I shall try to keep them separate
from facts, and offer such evidence as I have, either for or against
them. If the reader has further proof that presents the matter in
another light, of course he will exercise the right to a difference of
opinion.
I could give a set of rules for practice, and be very brief, but this
would be unsatisfactory. When we are told a thing _must be done_, most
of us, like the "inquisitive Yankee," have a desire to know _why_ it is
necessary; and then like to know _how_ to do it. This gives us
confidence that we are right. Hence, I shall endeavor to give the
practical part, in as close connection with the natural history, that
dictates it, as possible.
This work will contain several chapters entirely new to the public: the
result of my own experience, that will be of the utmost value to all
who desire to realize the greatest possible advantages from their bees.
The additions to chapters already partially discussed by others, will
contain much original matter not to be found elsewhere. When many
stocks are kept, the chapter on "Loss of Queens," alone, will, with
attention, save to any one, not in the secret, enough in one season to
be worth more in value than many times the cost of this work. The same
might be said of those on diseased brood, artificial swarms, wintering
bees, and many others.
If such a work could have been placed in my hands twenty years ago, I
should have realized hundreds of dollars by the information. But
instead of this, my course has been, first to suffer a loss, and then
find out the remedy, or preventive; from which the reader may be
exempt, as I can confidently recommend these directions.
Another new feature will be found in the duties of each season being
kept by itself, commencing with the spring and ending with the winter
management.
In my anxiety to be understood by all classes of readers, I am aware
that I have made the elegant construction and arrangement of sentences
of secondary importance; therefore justly liable to criticism. But to
the reader, whose object is information on this subject, it can be of
but little consequence.
CHAPTER I.
A BRIEF HISTORY.
THREE KINDS OF BEES.
Every prosperous swarm, or family of bees, must contain one queen,
several thousand workers, and, part of the year, a few hundred drones.
[Illustration: QUEEN.] [Illustration: WORKER.] [Illustration: DRONE.]
QUEEN DESCRIBED.
The queen is the mother of the entire family; her duty appears to be
only to deposit eggs in the cells. Her abdomen has its full size very
abruptly where it joins the trunk or body, and then gradually tapers to
a point. She is longer than either the drones or workers, but her size,
in other respects, is a medium between the two. In shape she resembles
the worker more than the drone; and, like the worker, has a sting, but
will not use it for anything below royalty. She is nearly destitute of
down, or hairs; a very little may be seen about her head and trunk.
This gives her a dark, shining appearance, on the upper side--some are
nearly black. Her legs are somewhat longer than those of a worker; the
two posterior ones, and the under surface, are often of a bright copper
color. In some of them a yellow stripe nearly encircles the abdomen at
the joints, and meets on the back. Her wings are about the same as the
workers, but as her abdomen is much longer, they only reach about
two-thirds the length of it. For the first few days after leaving the
cell, her size is much less than after she has assumed her maternal
duties. She seldom, perhaps never, leaves the hive, except when leading
a swarm, and when but a few days old, to meet the drones, in the air,
for the purpose of fecundation. The manner of the queen's impregnation
is yet a disputed point, and probably never witnessed by any one. The
majority of close observers, I believe, are of opinion that the drones
are the males, and that sexual connection takes place in the air,[1]
performing their amours while on the wing, like the humble-bee and some
other insects. It appears that one impregnation is operative during her
life, as old queens are not afterwards seen coming out for that purpose.
[1] The objectors to this hypothesis will be generally found
among those who are unable to give a more plausible elucidation.
Those who oppose the fact that one bee is the mother of the whole
family, will probably be in the same class.
DESCRIPTION AND DUTY OF WORKERS.
As all labor devolves on the workers, they are provided with a sack, or
bag, for honey. Basket-like cavities are on their legs, where they pack
the pollen of flowers into little pellets, convenient to bring home.
They are also provided with a sting, and a virulent poison, although
they will not use it abroad when unmolested, but, if attacked, will
generally defend themselves sufficient to escape. They range the fields
for honey and pollen, secrete wax, construct combs, prepare food, nurse
the young, bring water for the use of the community, obtain propolis to
seal up all crevices about the hive, stand guard, and keep out
intruders, robbers, &c., &c.
DESCRIPTION OF DRONES.
When the family is large and honey abundant, a brood of drones is
reared; the number, probably, depends on the yield of honey, and size
of the swarm, more than anything else. As honey becomes scarce, they
are destroyed. Their bodies are large and rather clumsy, covered with
short hairs or bristles. Their abdomen terminates very abruptly,
without the symmetry of the queen or worker. Their buzzing, when on the
wing, is louder, and altogether different from the others. They seem to
be of the least value of any in the hive. Perhaps not more than one in
a thousand is ever called upon to perform the duty for which they were
designed. Yet they assist, on some occasions, to keep up the animal
heat necessary in the old hive after a swarm has left.
MOST BROOD IN SPRING.
In spring and first of summer, when nearly all the combs are empty, and
food abundant, they rear brood more extensively than at any other
period, (towards fall more combs are filled with honey, giving less
room for brood.) The hive soon becomes crowded with bees, and royal
cells are constructed, in which the queen deposits her eggs. When some
of these young queens are advanced sufficiently to be sealed over, the
old one, and the greater part of her subjects, leave for a new
location, (termed swarming.) They soon collect in a cluster, and, if
put into an empty hive, commence anew their labors; constructing combs,
rearing brood, and storing honey, to be abandoned on the succeeding
year for another tenement. One in a hundred may do it the same season,
if the hive is filled and crowded again in time to warrant it. Only
large early swarms do this.
THEIR INDUSTRY.
Industry belongs to their nature. When the flowers yield honey, and the
weather is fine, they need no impulse from man to perform their part.
When their tenement is supplied with all things necessary to reach
another spring, or their store-house full, and no necessity or room for
an addition, and we supply them with more space, they assiduously toil
to fill it up. Rather than to waste time in idleness, during a
bounteous yield of honey, they have been known to deposit their surplus
in combs outside the hive, or under the stand. This natural industrious
habit lies at the foundation of all the advantages in bee-keeping;
consequently our hives must be constructed with this end in view; and
at the same time not interfere with other points of their nature; but
this subject will be discussed in the next chapter. Those peculiar
traits in their nature, mentioned in this, will be more fully discussed
in different parts of this work, as they appear to be called for, and
where proof will be offered to sustain the positions here assumed,
which as yet are nothing more than mere assertions.