ARBANQINO AN APIART. 



81 



147. Position of the Hives — The hives ought not to be 

 crowded together. Bees, on taking flight, mark the location 

 of their hives, and with surprising accuracy return from long 

 distances to the same spot from which they started (156). But, 

 when their hives are close togetherj and are painted the same 

 colour, with no distinguishing marks upon them, bees will 

 sometimes enter the wrong hives and meet a warm reception 

 there, leav^rxig to fighting and general excitement, which 

 should be avoided as far as possible. Bees of a colony quickly 

 detect an intruder. In the case of queens returning from their 

 nuptials, it is of the first importance that they should have eveiy 

 facility for recognising their own hives (283). The hives may 

 stand four feet from each other, or farther apart if space permit. 



Fig. 63. 

 SPIRIT LEVEL AND MEASURE. 



Those illustrated are six feet apart and are painted (i) white, 

 {2) red, and (3) blue, in succession. They should be 

 perfectly level across the frames in order that the combs 

 may be built plumb. If the frames run at right angles 

 to the entrance, it is no harm to give the hive a tilt towards the 

 front. Hives with legs may be set upon bases of flag or 



concrete, upon four 

 bricks, or directly upon 

 the ground. If bases or 

 bricks are used, they 

 should be carefully 

 levelled with a spirit level 

 (Fig. 63). A hive without 

 legs (Fig. 65) may have 

 a simple stand made of 

 two pieces of plank 24" 

 X 7" X iV', a piece sV 

 X I J" being cut out of 

 each, and the pieces be- 

 ing nailed together in 

 shape of an X (Fig. 64). The floor board (85) being placed in 

 position, should be tested with a level, or with a bowl of water 

 set upon it. When the hive is ready a stout stake may be driven 



