204 HANDLING BEES. 



built small pieces of comb, or bridges (325), between the 

 outside of the frames and the sides of the hive, or slightly 

 fastened together some parts of their combs, may imaghie 

 that the frames cannot be removed at all. Such slight attach- 

 ments, however, offer no practical difficulty to their removal.* 

 The great point to be gained, is to secure a single comb on 

 each frame; and this is effected by the use of the triangular 

 comb-guides, or better, by comb-foundation (674). 



If bees were disposed to fly away from their combs, as 

 soon as they are taken out, mstead of adhering to them 

 with such remarkable tenacity, it would be far more difficult 

 to manage them; but even if their combs, when removed, 

 are all arranged in a continued line, the bees, and most 

 especially the Italian bees, instead of leaving them, will 

 stoutly defend them against the thieving propensities of other 

 bees. 



398. In returning the frames, care must be taken not to 

 crush the bees between them and the rabbets on which they 

 rest; they should be put in so slowly, that a bee, on feeling 

 the slightest pressure, may have a chance to creep from under 

 them before it is hurt. 



The frames should be returned, as far as possible, in the 

 same position, as they were found, with the brood in the 

 foi'ward part of the hive, and the honey in the back, for 

 bees always live and breed in front of their stores, to more 

 easily defend their treasures against intruders. 



In shutting up the hive, the surplus stoiy, if any is there, 

 should be carefully lowered, so that any bees which are in 



* If sufficient room for storing surplus honey is not given to a strong 

 (.olony, in its anxiety to amass as much as possible, it will fill the 

 smallest accessible places. If the bees build comb between the tops 

 cf the frames and the under side of the upper story, it can be easily cut 

 off, and used for wax. If this shallow chamber were not used, they 

 would fasten the upper story to the frames so tightly, that it would be 

 very difficult to remove it ; and every time it was taken off, they would 

 glue it still faster, so that, at last, it would be well nigh impossible 

 in getting it off, not to start the frames so as to crush the bees between 

 the combs. 



