33 



WHAT TO DC) AV1TH A SWARM. 



Remember, our aim is to prevent increase in the number of colonies in 

 the apiary, so should a swarm issue from a hive we are going to re-unite 

 the forces but not at once. If we run the bees back into the hive from 

 which they came, they will repeat their little performance a little later in 

 the day or the day following. 



We will go about the work in this fashion, taking advantage of a few 

 little habits of bee nature. When the swarm is clustering we get an 

 empty hive body, also one with frames filled with foundation or old combs. 

 Then we proceed to the old hive, lift it off the stand and set it about a 

 couple of feet to one side of its old position, and with its entrance at right 

 angles to the old one. If it formerly faced the south it will now look east 

 if on the right side of the old stand, and west if on the left side. Then we 

 place a new bottom-toard on the old stand, on that the empty hive body, 

 above that the one with the frames, lastly the cover, slipping under it a 

 match or similar thickness of wood to prevent the cover fitting down close. 

 The swarm is a big one, the bees are very much excited and full of move- 

 ment, so if there is not plenty of fresh air in the hive they are apt to fly 

 off and seek more congenial quarters. 



Fig". 4. Smoking the swarm. 



