SWARM CATCHIXG, HIVING. AND TRANSFERRING. 97 



is some time between sunrise and sunset. As a rule, it is during 

 the hottest part of the day. It is a pretty and interesting sight 

 to see the bees issuing forth from the hive for the purpose of 

 swarming. They all appear eager to see which will be out first, 

 pushing and tumbling one over the other. Bees with their wings 

 fringed with hard work and old age ; middle-aged and baby bees ; 

 young, downy fellows, even too young to take part in the general 

 exodus. You will find many of the latter running about outside 

 the hive. If the hive is close to the ground, and of easy access, 

 they are soon inside again ; if not, it is as well to pick them up, 

 and put them on the alighting board. A young bee is worth 

 more than an old one. 



To any bee-keeper it is pleasant to watch the bees manoeuv- 

 ring in the air ; advancing, receding, rising, falling and circling ; 

 not looking about for the queen. She is mixed up with them, but 

 she has no allotted place in that busy crowd. Whilst on the wing 

 the hum they emit is a pleasant one, and to them one of joy. 

 We do not know how the information is telephoned from one to 

 the other, when they are on the wing, that a chosen spot has 

 been selected, and it is time to settle. A practised ear can detect 

 a change m the hum. At once, when the sound of the beles 

 change, you will see those bees that have been scattered far around 

 heading for the spot selected. Indeed, there appear to be many 

 spots chosen, for you will see the bees forming little clusters here 

 and there. These are all ultimately abandoned for the central 

 one. Watch the central one. You may see the queen, if she be 

 undipped, alighting with the rest. Pick her gently up by the 

 wing and cage her for a few minutes. (If the queen is clipped, 

 stand by the hive as the bees issue forth and cage her there.) 

 When a fairly good number of the bees have settled, shake them 

 into a receiving-box, and at once, if you have caged the queen, 

 place her amongst them. If you have not secured the queen, watch 

 the box into which you liave shaken the bees. If they persist 

 in returning to the place whence you shook them you must shake 

 again, and repeat the process as often as they return thither. One 

 way of ascertaining if the queen is fn the receiving-box is to move 

 it a few yards from the spot in which you first placed it. If the 

 bees follow, you may be sure the queen is there. Nevertheless, 

 a large number of bees will continue to hang about the place 

 where they first clustered. If you have secured the queen, these 

 will soon begin to dwindle away. If you have little or no exper 



