158 THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 



running in and out of the decoy-hive, in a state of the 

 greatest distraction, will crowd into their old home, and 

 afterwards adhere to it wherever placed ! It should now 

 be removed to a new stand, and its entrance* closed until 

 sunset. Unless this precaution is adopted, the bees in 

 other hives, ascertaining its weak and queenless condition, 

 may attempt to rob it. 



If the stock from which the artificial colony was driven, 

 were intending to swarm, it will contain maturing queens, 

 one of which will soon take the place of the old one, as in 

 natural swarming. If no royal cells were in progress, the 

 bees will proceed to construct them. 



Artificial colonies should not be formed until drones 

 have made their appearance, or the young queen may fail 

 to be impregnated, and the parent-stock may perish. 



We return now to our forced swarm. The bees should 

 be shaken out of the forcing-box, and hived like a new 

 swarm, when, if placed on their old stand, they will work 

 as vigorously as a natural swarm. If they were driven, 

 at first, into a hive which will suit the Apiarian, it may be 

 returned to their old location, without disturbing the 

 bees. 



If, in driving the swarm, or in transferring it from the 

 forcing-box, the queen was not seen, it may be certainly 

 known, in from five to fifteen minutes after the bees have 

 entered their new hive, whether or not she is with them. 



As soon as the bees are clustered in the hive, if they 

 do not find her, a few will come out and run about, as 

 if anxiously searching for something they have lost. The 

 alarm is rapidly communicated to the whole colony ; the 



* In closing the entrance, the bee-keeper will see that sufficient air is admitted, 

 but not enough to chill the brood. If the weather should suddenly become very 

 cool, and the hive is quite thin, it will be advisable to cover it with something that 

 will aid in preserving its internal heat The same precautions are often important 

 in hives which have swarmed naturally. 



