130 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



ones about having fine weather on the occasion of their 

 leaving home as colonists. But cannot second swarms 

 he taken off as well as first swarms, artificially 1 Yes ; 

 hut it is necessary to he a little more cautious while doing 

 it ; for such young queens or princesses are apt to take 

 wing during the operation. Old queens never take wing, 

 however much they may be handled and tossed about in 

 swarming and uniting of swarms. Not so with these 

 young unimpregnated ones. Hence there is a little ma- 

 nceuvring required in swarming second swarms by art. 

 As soon as the queens are heard calling and answering 

 each other (piping), we turn up the hive and cut two of 

 the royal cells out, those having queens ia them, and 

 wrap each up in the comer of our handkerchief, separate, 

 and so that the queens cannot come out of their cells. 

 We have got over the difficulty ; and in less than five 

 minutes a swarm is drummed up into a hive prepared for 

 it:- the swarm is set on one side of the old stand, and the 

 mother hive on the other side. In the handkerchief there 

 is a queen for each hive. We generally take the lids off 

 the cells, and see the beautiful young creatures run in at 

 the doors. All this may be done in ten minutes. It 

 requires no master-stroke to do it ; any one that puts 

 aside the mistrust of his own powers will manage this 

 affair easily. 



If there are more than two queens comeatable, we cut 

 them all out ; and this is often the case, for there are 

 sometimes four or five to spare. But presently we shall 

 come to notice the use and value of these spare queens. 

 Let us finish the artificial mode of swarming first. Hives 

 that yielded first swarms have sometimes small second 

 swarms taken from them, and two of these united thus 

 making one good swarm, and leaving the old ones 

 strong. 



