SUPER-CLEARERS. 97 



is unsuited for use in late autumn, or at any other 

 season when honey may be scarce ; but in late 

 Bummer, or when nectar is still plentiful, its use 

 is advantageous. If the super is disconnected 

 from the hive in the early morning it can be left 

 to clear itself during the day ; and in the evening, 

 the honey, unaccompanied by a single bee, can be 

 removed indoors. 



Some cones are fitted with a delicate steel 

 spring, which, whilst not impeding the egress of 

 confined bees, effectually stops the ingress of any 

 intruder ; the cones are also sometimes used 



Fig. 90. Porter Bee Escape. 



double one within the other, J in. apart for the 

 same purpose. 



Another method of using the cones is, instead 

 of entirely uncovering the super of honey, to re- 

 place the quilt by a board furnished with several 

 round holes, over each of which a cone is laid or 

 fixed. Escaping bees have thus to pass a double 

 trap, whilst double obstacles are placed in the 

 path of marauding bees. Cones have also been 

 tried the reverse way that is, to make the bees 

 return to the hive proper without passing into 

 the open air but have not been much of a suc- 

 cess ; and practice has proved that the slighter 

 the connection between the hive and the super 

 to be cleared the more quickly will it be rid of 



