HYMENOPTERA. 



355 



which you have just given them, and which they will not be long 

 in entering."* 



A good swarm weighs from four to six pounds ; one pound 

 contains about four thousand bees. The second swarms weigh 

 rarely more than two pounds, and the third still less. You can 

 also form artificial swarms by drawing off the bees of one hive into 

 another ; an operation which is easy with bell-shaped hives. A 

 glance at Fig. 325, which represents the common hive of the 

 north of France, that is to say, the bell- shaped, will show how easy 

 it is to effect this drawing-off, or pouring out of the bees, by 

 joining together at their bases two hives, the one empty, the other 

 containing a swarm. In order to have control over the bees during 

 the operation, you must slightly stupify them with the smoke of a 

 lighted rag. 



Beehives are of a thousand different shapes, each of which has its 

 particular advantages. They are made of wood and of straw ; and 



Fig. 327. Swiss hive. Fig. 328. Polish hive. 



the shapes used in different countries are very various. We give 

 as examples, Figs. 325, 326, 327, 328. 



The site, that is, the place where hives stand, is not a 

 * "Cours d' Apiculture," pp. 73, 74. 

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