THOUSAND ANSWERS 215 



bees must be left with them so the brood will not be chilled, un- 

 less you live where it is so hot that there is no danger of 

 chilling. The more bees, however, you can leave with the swarm, 

 the better work it will do on surplus. 



Q. I would like to practice the shake-swarm method. What 

 would be best to shake the bees on, empty combs, starters, or full 

 sheets of foundation? 



A. Empty combs are probably best, and full sheets of founda- 

 tion next. 



Q. It is impractical for me to stay at home and watch for 

 swarms, so I must resort to artificial swarming or dividing — 

 probably the brush-swarm plan. At what stage of queen-cells 

 should the swarm be shaken, when queen-cells are started without 

 brood in them yet, after brood can be seen in them, or after they 

 are capped over? 



A. Swarms may be shaken without paying any attention to 

 queen-cells as soon as the season of swarming comes, or as soon 

 as colonies are sufficiently strong. Some prefer to wait until a 

 number of cells are found containing eggs or larvae. It would 

 hardly do to wait till sealed cells are present, for at that time a 

 swarm is likely to ensue. The presence of queen-cell cups with 

 neither eggs nor larva in them need not be considered, for these 

 may be found at any time, even in winter. 



Q. How far should a shaken swarm be set from the parent 

 hive? 



A. A shaken swarm is left on the old stand. 



Q. In removing the old hive to a new location, and putting 

 a new hive on the old stand, is it essential that the old queen 

 should remain, or be shaken into the new hive on the old stand, 

 or can she be put into the old hive on the new location? 



A. The queen is to remain on the old stand with the shaken 

 swarm. The point is that the brood is to be taken away. 



Q. How did driving on capped-brood work with you in the 

 control of swarming and securing honey? 



A. So far as I could see, giving sealed brood to a driven 

 swarm worked just as well as giving foundation, and of course 

 made a stronger colony. 



Q. I practiced the shaken-swarm method a little last summer, 

 but some of them would swarm out again the next day. What 

 was the cause of that? 



A. Possibly it was hot in the empty hive, and they swarmed 

 out just as a natural swarm often does under the same circum- 

 stances. A frame of brood may hold them. 



