Litchfield enquirer., 1841-03-25
Frca ne Farmers Glss:;s.
THE Rec


ing in society, bees have medium of com.
munication. The effects produced upnn
them bv the loss of their queen, will furnish
proof Of this fact. In a we'll peopled and
thriving hive, each bee is employed in its
appropriate avocation-Somc in attending
the young, some in. making cells. AT tirSi,
when the queen has been abstractCti, every
thing goes on we'll for an hour; after this
space of time, some few of the workers an
pear in state of great agitation; they for
sake the young, relinQuiSh their labor, and
begin to traverse the hive in u furious man
ner. In their progress, wherever they meet
q companion, they mutually cross their feel
eFs, and the one which seems to have first
discovered the national loss, communicates
the sad news to its neighbor, by giving it a
gentle tap with these organs. This one in
Its turn becomes Rgi:oled, runs over the
cells. crossing and striking others. Thus in
"a short time the whole hive is thrown into
confusion; every thing is neglected. and the
humming may be heard at a distance. This
agitation lasts from three to tour hours, after
which the bees are calIned and begin TO
adopt the measures which are necessary to
repair their loss. That the agitation OF the
bees arises sfrom the loss OF the queen,
scarcely admits of doubt. No one can
doubt that the agitation arises from the
workers having LOST their queen for on re-
storing her, tranquility is instantly re-estab.
lished among them and what is very sim
gular, they recognize her. This expression
must be interpreted literally, for the subst-
tuition of another queen is not attended with
the same effect, II she be introduced into the
hive within the first twenty two hours after
the removal of the reigning one. Here the
agitation continues, and the bees treat the
stranger just as they do when the presence
OF their own queen leaves them nothing to
desire. But if twenty-five hours have elaps-
ed before substituting strange Queen, she
will be we'll received, and reign from the
moment of her introduction into the hive.
once introduced a fertile queen eleven
months old, into hive which had lost its
own twenty-five hours before. Immediate
ly on placing this female stranger on the
comb, the workers which were near the spot
touched her with their antenne, and passing
their trunks over every part of her body,
10 others, which treated her in the same
manner. Vibrating their wings at once,
they all ranged themselves in circle around
their adopted sovereign hence resulted a
kind Of agitation, which was gradually COM
municated to other workers situated on the
same surface of the comb, and induced them
to come and reconnoiter in their turn what
was going ON. These arriving and break.
ing through the circle formed by the FORE
most ranks, approached the queen, touched
her with their antennR, and gave her honey.
After this little ceremony they retired, and
placing themselves behind the others, en-
larged the circle. where they vibrated their
wings without tumult or disorder. When
she began to move, they were so far from
opposing her progress. that they opened the
circle at that part towards which she turned,
followed her and. surrounded her with q
guard.
The treatment which they bestow upon
strange queen is very singular, while their
own is still in the hive. The entrance Of
their habi,ation is carefully guarded and
sentinels are placed SO that nothing, not even
one of their own Comparisons can move el-
Their by day or by night without first undeF-
going strict scrutiny. AS soon as strange
queen enters the hive, circle OF bees inn
prison the intruder so closely, that not only
IS it impossible for her to move, but she is Of
ton suffocnted. One queen, it would seem,
is sufficient for hive; nature, therefore.
among other curious knowledge. has not
failed to impart this to the bees. AS soon
as the stranger is imprisoned, another set 60
and confine the original queen; and for
what reason! To force the two to fight for
the throne. This fact Is corroborated by my
repeated experiments. Ifthere be the least
disposition on the part of either to move tow.
ards the other, the workers make way and
allow them TO approach; if Oh the contrary
they attempt 10 flee, the workers return and
pinion them closely.
But it is seldom necessary to stimulate
queen bees toconbat, for nature takes care
to secure her own ends, by inspiring them
with the most determined antipathy towards
those of their own eek and grade. | have
repeatedly introduced stranger queens into
the hive already supplied with a sovereign,
and ii every instance q mortal combat en-
.sned. The intervals between the rings Of
al,e belly are the vulnerable points the rest
0f the body being encased in armor, is i'm
,perFiOus to the sting. AS soon as they
come within view of each other, they rush
impetuously to the fight, endeavor to hit each
other at an advantage, dart out the sting fu-
riously, and the weapon may be seen to
glance off the corslet and scales. AT last,
the strongest or most fortunate, contrives to
mount upon her enemy, or fix her by the
wing against a comb, and curving her body
under her antagonists belly, inflicts wound
which for the most part proves instantane-
ously mortal. In these combats it sone-
times happens that the position of both is
such, that each can pierce its antagonist
When their situation is thus critical, both
become panic struck, instantly disengage
fhemSelves, and retreat. This happens SO
universally, that have looked upon it as a
special instinct. causing their separation.
since by the death of both, the colony would
be ruined. Z.B.
New Haven, Jan. 25, ls4l.
From the Boston CulivdiOr
FARM WORK FOR MARCH.