Page:Jardine Naturalist's library Bees.djvu/232

228 a loud humming noise expressive of their trepidation. The hives are then separated,—that containing the bees is placed on its usual pedestal,—and the other containing the honey is carried off. The union is next to be effected. Turn up the stock-hive which is to receive the addition to its population,—with a bunch of feathers, or a small watering-pan, such as is used for watering flower-beds, drench them with a solution of ale and sugar, or water and sugar, made a little warm. Do the same to the expelled bees; and then placing these last over the stock, mouth to mouth, a smart rap on the top of the hive will drive them down among the bees and combs of the under-most hive. Place this last on its pedestal, and the operation is completed. The strong flavour of the solution will prevent them from distinguishing between friend and stranger; and their first movement, after recovering from their panic, will be to lick the liquid from one another's bodies. This mode of operating is applicable to all kinds of hives. It will be an advantage, though attended with a little additional trouble, to search for, and destroy the queen of the expelled bees, before the union takes place. Two queens cannot subsist together in one hive. When two hives are united, therefore, what becomes of the supernumerary queen? She is put to death by the bees generally within twenty-four hours from the time of the union. But as the bees are the executioners, it is within the bounds of possibility that both queens may fall a sacrifice. The followers of one queen may seize upon her rival, and destroy