362 THE INSECT WORLD. 
settled in a difficult place, and you are afraid of being stung, you 
hold the hive under the cluster of bees and make them fall into it, © 
either by shaking the branch to which the swarm is attached very 
hard, or by means of a small broom, or even with the hand, for 
then they very rarely sting: It is hardly ever necessary to take 
any precautions in approaching them, except for swarms which 




















































Fig. 324.—Taking a swarm. 
have been fixed for many hours, or since the day before. When 
the bees have fallen in a mass to the bottom of the hive, you turn 
this gently over, and place it on a piece of linen stretched out on 
the ground near the place where the swarm was, or on a tray, or 
simply on the ground itself, if it is dry and clean. You will have 
taken care to place on this linen a little wedge, a stick or a 
stone to raise the hive a little, and to leave room through 
