TRANSFEKRING BEES. 295 



are disturbed when they ought to be in almost deathlike re- 

 pose, and are thus tempted to eat a much larger quantity of 

 food than they would otherwise have needed. Let the 

 Apiarian remember that not a single unnecessary motion 

 should be required of a single bee : for all this, to say noth- 

 ing else, involves a foolish waste of food. (See p. 116.) 



In all operations involving the transferring of bees, it is 

 exceedingly desirable that the new hives to which they are 

 transferred should be put, as near as possible, where the old 

 ones stood. If other colonies are in close proximity, the 

 bees may be templed to enter the wrong hives, if iheir posi- 

 tion is changed only a little ; they are almost sure to do this 

 if the others resemble more closely than the new one, their 

 former habitation. If will be often advisable, to transport 

 to the distance of one or two miles, the stocks which are to 

 be transferred ; so that the operation may be performed to 

 the best advantage. In a few weeks they may be brought 

 back to the Apiary. In hiving swarms, and transferring 

 stocks, care must be taken to prevent the bees from getting 

 mixed with those of other colonies. If this precaution is 

 neglected many bees will be lost by joining other stocks, 

 where they may be kindly welcomed, or may at once be 

 put to death. It is exceedingly difficult, to tell before hand, 

 what kind of a reception strange bees will meet with, from 

 a colony which they attempt to join. -In the working sea- 

 son they are much more likely to be well received, than at 

 any other time, especially if they come loaded with honey : 

 still new swarms full of honey, that attempt to enter other 

 hives, are often killed at once. If a colony which has an 

 unimpregnated queen seeks to unite with another which has 

 a fertile one, then almost as a matter of course they are de- 

 stroyed I If by moving their hive, or in any other way, 

 bees are made to enter a hive containing an unimpregnated 



