THOUSAND ANSWERS 245 



A. Set the hive on the ground with the entrance close to the 

 bees, put a few at the entrance, and let the rest follow. 



Q. I have just started in beekeeping. I keep my bees in a large 

 attic. Having only one colony, I would like to get another swarm 

 started in swarming time. Can they be made to go into another 

 hive while swarming? 



A. Of course a swarm can be hived in any hive, just the same 

 as if the' bees were on the ground instead of being in an attic. 

 What you probably mean, however, is to have the bees enter the 

 hive of their own accord. That can be managed, too, just the 

 same as if the bees were on the ground. Have the queen's wing 

 clipped. Then when the swarm issues catch and cage the queen, 

 move the old hive to a new place and set the new hive where the 

 old hive stood. The swarm, having no queen, will be sure to re- 

 turn within a few minutes, and finding the old hive gone, will 

 enter the new one sitting where it left the old one. As the bees 

 are entering the hive, free the queen and let her run into the hive 

 with them. 



Q. In hiving a swarm where only the queen and not quite two 

 frames of bees can be captured, should the division-board be used 

 as in nuclei, and about how many frames of comb or foundation 

 should be given them? 



A. A division-board is not needed, but it is better to have a 

 dummy; that is, a board like a division-board, but having a space 

 all around. The hive may be filled at first with combs, or you may 

 give only one comb more than the bees can cover, adding others 

 as they are needed. 



Swarms, Issue of. — Q. What time of the day do bees swarm? 



A. The prime swarm, which issues with the old queen, gener- 

 ally comes off somewhere between 9 and 12 o'clock. An after- 

 swarm, having a virgin queen, is more irregular, and may issue 

 earlier or later, in some cases as early as 6 in the morning, and 

 a-: late as 4 or S p. m. If a morning is very hot, a swarm may come 

 out early. If the day should be rainy, and clear off rather late in 

 the afternoon, a swarm may come then. 



Q. Do bees find a home before they swarm? 

 A, Often, and perhaps generally. 



Q. Are there any indications to tell when the first swarm will 

 issue? 



A. Yes ; when a colony decides to swarm it starts a number 



