BEES AND BEE CULTURE. 



1157 



and in her attempt to leave may wander off and fail to again 

 find the hive; but the colony will surely return soon after they 

 cluster, as they will not leave without the queen. 



To hive a colony with queen's wing clipped, we have only to 

 step in front of the hive as the bees rush out, and catch the 

 queen as she comes forth 

 usually late in the exit and 

 cage her. We may simply 

 place her under a tumbler. A 

 cloth is now spread over the 

 old hive, and the new hive 

 placed immediately in front, 

 with the queen in it. Soon 

 the bees will see that they 

 have no queen, when they will 

 break ranks and return, and 

 enter the new hive, which con- 

 tains the caged queen. When 

 all are in, the hive should be 

 carried to its desired location, 

 and at nightfall the queen 

 should be liberated. 



Artificial increase is at times 

 to be preferred to swarming. 

 It is just as good, and in its 

 practice a more equal division, 

 is made. To do this we form nuclei, as already described, and 

 then simply build them up into strong colonies by adding bees 

 and brood from other colonies as they can spare them. Here, 

 as in forming nuclei, great pains is required that the old queen 

 is not carried with the bees that are added to the nuclei. When 

 frames of brood are removed from a hive their place should be 

 filled by foundation. This is so valuable that no apiarist can 

 afford ever to put empty frames into his hives. 



To PREVENT SWARMING. When the apiarist does not wish 

 any further increase, it is sometimes very desirable to keep the 

 swarming impulse in check. This can be done usually by ex- 



FIG. 27. 



