SWAEMINO. 



120 



formerly occupied by the nucleus. By this mctliod the nucleus 

 receives the flying bees of the stock ; both colonies have fertile 

 queens ; the risks attached to other methods are avoided ; and 

 the bees will work with a will. The caged queen may be 

 released in thirty-six hours. 



223. Making Swarms from Stocks in Skeps Owing to the 



inconvenience of feeding and observing bees in skeps, and to 

 the difficulty of supplying swarms in skeps with brood and 

 drawn-out comb, artificial swarming to colonise skeps should 

 be deferred until the stocks arc not only strong, but also near 

 the swarming stage, and until the weather is good, and there 

 is abundance of nectar to be gathered. Drive (160) the stock 

 from which the swarm is to be taken until the queen and about 

 half the bees have gone up. If more than the desired quantity 

 of bees pass up before the queen, pick up the queen and place 

 her in a small box for the moment. Throw the excess bees back 

 among the combs, and liberate the queen among the bees in 

 the upi^er skep. Put back the parent stock upon its old stand, 

 and the driven swarm upon a new stand, or vice versa as your 

 object may demand. If the queen has not been found when all 

 the bees have been driven, the stock must be returned to its 

 skep, and the operation be repeated later on. 



230. A Stronger Swarm from Two Stocks in Skeps When a 



stronger swarm is desired, and when two stocks (A and B) in 

 skeps are available for the purpose, drive the queen and all 

 the bees from stock A: place the driven swarm (S) upon A's 

 stand : place stock A upon the stand of stock B : and remove 

 stock B to a new position. Thus A gives all its bees to S, 

 retaining the combs and brood, and securing, on its new stand, 

 all the flying bees of B, while B is not depleted beyond its 

 force of flying bees. 



Photo fi-ODi life] 



CONGESTION (217). 



[by J. G. Dir/ges. 

 BEES CROWDED OUT. 



