THOUSAND ANSWERS 153 



there will be no trouble. After that there will be lots of trouble, 

 as the bees returning from the field will return to the old location. 

 One way to help this is to fasten the bees in the hives in the eve- 

 ning, or very early in the morning before moving; after moving, 

 leave them shut in till the middle of the day; pound on the hive 

 until the bees roar, and then let them out, putting in front of 

 each entrance a board for them to knock their noses against. 



Q. I shall move my bees about 100 yards this winter, and while 

 I know what the bee-books and journals say about it, I would take 

 it as a personal favor if you would kindly tell how you would 

 manage in moving them. (South Carolina.) 



A. Although you do not say so, I suppose you have in mind 

 the question of moving so as to have the least possible loss from 

 bees returning to the old location. If I wanted to move my bees 

 100 yards, I should wait till winter was nearly over, moving them, 

 as nearly as I could guess, just after they had had their longest 

 imprisonment during the winter, and I would have little fear that 

 any considerable number would return to the old place. The same 

 thing might not work as well with you, as in South Carolina I 

 should expect shorter periods of confinement and more frequent 

 opportunities for flight. I should still work on the same general 

 principle, adding some precaution. Clear up things at the old 

 place, so that if any bee should try to return it would find nothing 

 to look like home. Move the bees in the evening, when all are at 

 home, and fasten them in so none can fly out, but not so as to 

 smother them. Next day, or the first day it is warm enough for 

 them to fly, pound on the hives so as to stir them up thoroughly 

 and set them to roaring. Keep them in suspense for some time, 

 leaving them thus until perhaps noon, if you think there is no 

 danger of smothering, then let them out, and you can expect them 

 to mark their location. 



Q. I have six colonies of bees which I keep for pastime anc 

 study, as they please me and take up many interesting moments. 

 The hives are scattered, and I would like to have them closer to- 

 gether. One hive is north of my house, three west of the house, 

 about 20 feet from the first ; then about SO feet farther west 

 comes another, and then again about 80 feet west is the last one. 

 The advice I seek is when and how to get these all to the east of 

 the house. I winter them in the cellar. I will greatly appreciate 

 your advice. 



A. That's easy. When you put them out in the spring, with- 

 out any ceremony, you can put them just where you want them. 

 To be sure, some say that bees remember through the winter 



