No. 4.] ESSENTIALS OF BEEKEEPING, 161 



ShaMng for Increase. 



This has virtue not only in increase but also in overcoming the 

 swarming nuisance. The principle has many modifications and is 

 commonly explained under heading of " shook " swarming. Here, 

 again, the natural impulse of the bees to swarm is taken advantage 

 of. A hive is prepared as for hiving a swarm, that is, an empty 

 hive is equipped with frames containing either full sheets of founda- 

 tion or foundation starters. This is set on the stand in place of the 

 colony to be shaken. The readiness of the colony is determined by 

 its preparations to swarm. A frame of sealed brood, from the old 

 colony or elsewhere, is set in the center of the new hive. The queen 

 is then placed on this frame. A majority of the bees are next 

 shaken from their old combs which, when completed, will have 

 stocked the new one on the old stand. The old hive, combs and the 

 remaining bees (enough should be left to care for the brood) is set 

 on a new stand. The newly formed colony will recover and build 

 up rai:)idly, being almost immediately ready for supers, which should 

 be placed over a queen-excluding zinc. This is done to prevent the 

 queen from laying in the section boxes. The colony from which 

 the bees have been shaken may be allowed to rear their new queen, 

 or, more preferably, a cell, virgin queen or mated queen may be 

 provided them, at the beekeeper's discretion. A laying queen, of 

 course, builds up the colony more raj^idly. 



The experienced beekeeper can readily see how this procedure can 

 be used to advantage in treating for brood diseases of bees. Of 

 course, it is necessary to modify the method, using only half-inch 

 starters of foundation (strips one-half inch in width), and omitting 

 to put the sheet of brood into the new hive. Without brood in the 

 new hive, a queen guard, perforated zinc, or Alley trap should 

 be put over the entrance, in order to prevent the colony from ab- 

 sconding. The exchange of supei-s should also be avoided. 



Another method, which is quite as satisfactory, is to establish a 

 new colony by the removal of frames of hatching brood with adher- 

 ing bees from several colonies. These, in a hive to which a queen 

 is introduced, raj^idly establish a thi-ifty colony without materially 

 reducing the parent stocks. The force of bees can also be increased 

 by substituting this newly formed colony on the stand of another 

 strong colony and thus catching the returning field bees. The loss 

 to the populous colony which was removed is slight. After moving 

 the new colony in this way several times, remarkable increase in 

 strength can be obtained. Such procedure, or the transferring of 

 combs from hive to hive, in any ease should be rigidly avoided in 

 any apiary where the presence of brood disease is suspected. 



The reader is also referred to the method, recommended by the 



