Most beekeepers wish to rear a few queens and must have for such a
purpose a few nucleus colonies.
The following plan for forming them is an easy and simple one. The
nucleus hives should be constructed of light material and about
one-third the width of the large hive, and the covers should be cleated
to prevent splitting and warping. If the hives are painted they will
last many years.
The nucleus colonies should consist of three combs and two quarts of
bees. When ready to form them, place in one of the hives two combs
containing honey and, in the centre, one containing brood, after which
add the bees. Perhaps the better way would be to remove from a full
colony a comb containing brood, together with the adhering bees, being
careful of course not to take the queen with them. In such case there
will be a sufficient number of bees on the comb to care for the brood;
if not, a few more may be brushed from another comb into the hive.
After the combs and bees have been placed in the hive, confine the
latter to the hives for thirty-six hours and release them early on the
morning of the third day.
Do not remove the screen (with which they have been confined) from the
entrance except just before dark or early in the morning; as, if
released in the middle of the day, the bees would rush out and many
would not return.
After having been confined in the hive for thirty-six hours, the bees
will have constructed several queen cells and when released will return
to the new location.
A matured queen cell may be given them at this time; or, when they have
been queenless seventy-two hours, a virgin queen can be introduced
safely.
Before releasing the bees the nuclei should be placed some distance from
the stands from which the bees were taken. While the bees are confined
in the hives they should be supplied with water. For such purpose I find
the cone feeder very useful.
If the reader has studied the article in the May number in reference to
the drone trap he is prepared to have his queens purely mated with any
particular strain of drones in the apiary.
_Wenham, Mass._
_A GUIDE TO THE BEST METHODS OF BEEKEEPING._