ENTOMOLOGY 409 



In handling frames the comb should always be held in a verti- 

 cal position, especially if it contains much money. When a frame 

 is lifted from the hive by the top bar, one side is exposed to the 

 operator with the comb placed vertically. To examine the reverse 

 side, raise one end of the top bar until it is perpendicular, turn the 

 frame on the top bars as an axis until the reverse side is in view, and 

 then lower to a horizontal position with the top bar below. In this 

 way there is no extra strain on the comb and the bees are not irri- 

 tated. This care is not so necessary with wired combs, but it is a 

 good habit to form in handling frames. 



It is desirable to have combs all of worker cells to reduce the 

 amount of drone brood. The use of full sheets of foundation will 

 bring this about and is also of value in making the combs straight, 

 so that bees are not mashed in removing the frame. It is extremely 

 difficult to remove combs built crosswise in the hive, and this should 

 never be allowed to occur. Such a hive is even worse than a plain 

 box hive. Extra inside fixtures should be avoided, as they tend 

 only to impede manipulation. The hive should also be placed so 

 that the entrance is perfectly horizontal and a little lower than the 

 back of the hive. The frames will then hang in a vertical position, 

 and the outer ones will not be fastened to the hive body if properly 

 spaced at the top. 



Various remedies for bee stings have been advocated, but they 

 are all useless. The puncture made by the sting is so small that it 

 closes when the sting is removed and liquids can not be expected to 

 enter. The best thing to do when stung is to remove the sting as 

 soon as possible without squeezing the poison sac, which is usually 

 attached. This can be done by scraping it out with a knife or finger 

 nail. After this is done the injured spot should be let alone and not 

 rubbed with any liniment. The intense itching will soon disap- 

 pear ; any irritation only serves to increase the after swelling. 



In placing frames in the hive great care should be exercised 

 that they are properly spaced. Some frames are self-spacing, hav- 

 ing projections on the side, so that when placed as close as possible 

 they are the correct distance apart. These are good for beginners 

 or persons who do not judge distances well and are preferred by 

 many professional bee keepers. If unspaced frames are used, they 

 should be 1 % inches from center to center. A little practice will 

 usually enable anyone to space quickly and accurately. Careful 

 spacing is necessary to prevent the building of combs of irregular 

 thickness and to retard the building of pieces of comb from one 

 frame to another. 



Transferring. In increasing the apiary it is sometimes best to 

 buy colonies in box hives on account of their smaller cost and to 

 transfer them to hives with movable frames. This should be done 

 as soon as possible, for box-hive colonies are of small value as pro- 

 ducers. The best time to transfer is in the spring (during fruit 

 bloom in the North) when the amount of honey and the population 

 of the colony are at a minimum, 



