The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-09-25
ChanginR Queen Bees,

Our most successful apiarists follow
the plan OF superseding the queens
in their apiaries by young and vigor-
Gus ones, the instant the old ones
show signs of failing. Unlike the
worker bee who lives at the longest,
scarce six months, the queens useful
ness extends over period of three or
four years. During eight months out
of every twelve she employs herself in
egg laying. During the height of the
honey season the good and vigorous
queen has been known to deposit as
many as three thousand tiny eggs
daily, each one capable Of producing,
under favorable circumstances a living
bee. For period Of three years the
queen bee may remain vigorous and
serviceable. Ii not superseded by a
young one, the bee keeper should re-
move her and introduce a young
mother. The latter course is prefera.
BILE, as the apiarist has then the choos-
ing of the succeeding queen-a matter
that governs thefuture qualities of the
whole stock-and may vastly influence
results obtained Ia keeping bees. The
signs that Indicate decay in queen
bee are absence OF large quantities OF
brood in the season of such, irregulari-
ty in depositing eggs and the laying OF
many drone eggs to the exclusion OF
all others. @. W. Demaree, of Ken
lucky, q noted raiser of fine Italian
bees, In an answer to an INQUIRER in
American Apiculturist, writes to the
point as follows: "The longevity and
usefulness of the queen honey bee de-
pepds largely how she has been devel-
oped by the nurse bees in rearing her.
A queen may be Matched in nine DAYS,
from the time the nursing bees com
mence their work with a view of de-
veloping a queen from Larvae chosen
by them, Or the time may be extended
to thirteen days; all depending on the
Larvae, when the process begins. All
this variation may and does take
place, except when the apiarist directs
by giving the bees Larvae of his own
selection to rear the queens from.
Thus inferior queens are often reared.
No uniform rule can therefore be given
as to proper time to supersede queens.
1t depends largely upon their Ebring-
ing up" In my own apiary each queen
must stand upon her own indi-
vidual merit, and she "staysn
or ''goes" in accordance with value.
Pedigree, all things else being equal,
has much to do with the liberation of
old queens in my apiary. But when
we come down to the gist of the ques-
ton, j. r., Would it be to the best in
terest OF the apiary to supersede all
queens alter two years service? We
are brought face to face with a sub
lect OF deep interest to all bee keepers.
One OF the fruitful sources OF loss in
the early spring is old and worn out
queens, who, perishing, cause the loss
OF an entire colony. There is then no
remedy as it is impossible to rear one.
From long and watchful observation |
am persuaded that my losses from this
cause-both in colonies and in loss OF
vigorous honey gatberers-in the past
have been fully one tenth. This loss
can be obviated to q great extent by
superseding all queens at the end OF
their second season. What an apiary
we should have If every colony were
headed by young and vigorous queen
IN the early spring of each year.
1t would require courage, the cour-
age OF 81 firm business man to remove
all 2-year old queens, for some OF these
look at their best at that age and !
would hesitate to lay violent hands on
some OF my superb 2-year- old queens,
they always look at their very best
when go to supersede them.
In my locality | have found it best
to supersede queens a while before the
close OF the summer honey harvest, or
late IN September after breeding has
well nigh ceased for the season.
The locality must govern this mat
ter to some extent.
2. To change all queens at the end OF
the season would well nigh prevent all
loss from failing queens. Aside from
accident, all loss on this account
would be obviated. At the prices
which queens can be purchased, it