BEE-KEEPma. 80» 



SvYarming is the natural method of obtaining increase^ and tisiiaBy cccaia 

 dtiring the latter part of May or in June when the colony has become populous 

 and the bees are actively engaged in breeding and gathering honey. Usually 

 about 10 o'clock, or between 10 and 2, on a bright, warm day, the greater por- 

 tion of the workers not engaged in gatheiing stores, having their honey sacks 

 filled with honey, rush from the hive as though a ghost were after them. After 

 flying about for a short time, the swarm usually lights on some convenient tret 

 or bush. During an experience of twenty years I have known but one swarm 

 to leave for parts imknown without first lighting. 



To prevent constant watching and anxiety in swarming time, I clip off two 

 thirds or more of one of the wings of the queen as soon as she commences to 

 deposit eggs. 



A swarm will not " run away " unless a queen accompanies it, and she can 

 not go if one of her wings is nearly gone. Be sure and remove enough of the 

 wing, or the queen will still be able to fly, although it will be apt to be quite 

 slowly, if too little has been taken off. 



A swarm may light without a queen being with it, the same as if the queea 

 accompanied it, but it will finally return to its old home. 



If two or more swarms issue at the same time they are very apt to light 

 together, if they light at all. When they miss their queens and return they 

 are pretty sure to divide up and go to their own hives. 



I have previously given directions for placing the hives at least 6 feet apart, 

 and on or near the ground. The reason of this can now be readily seen. If a 

 swarm issues when no one sees it the queen will not be likely to crawl 6 feel 

 and enter the wrong hive and be killed, and the hive being on the ground, she 

 can crawl back and enter her own hive. It will not do to let them swarm and 

 go back many times, or they may become disgusted wi1;Ii their queen and 

 destroy her, and while the swarming fever lasts it interferes materially with 

 honey gathering and brood rearing. 



HXVOTG A SWAEM. 



If the queen's wing has not been clipped, a good way to proceed is to placti 

 the hive where it is to stand permanently. Have the frames filled with founda- 

 tion, or with starters in them as before directed. If there is a supply of extra 

 combs use them in place of foundation. 



As soon as the swarm issues take one or more combs from the hive the 

 swarm has come from, at least one of the combs to have young brood in (but 

 bs sure there is no queen cell on either of them) and place in the center of the 

 hive prepared for the swarm. Place the frames left in the old hive in the center 

 and fill the empty places thus made with frames that have been prepared for 

 the new hive. Have ready a box or basket that will hold 6 or 8 quarts, without 

 top, and as soon as the swarm has lighted shake or orush the bees into it, and 

 «is soon as the bees have settled on it carry them to the hive prepared for th&nk 



