102 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



awkward, affair wben two swarms unite, for to separate 

 them is rather difficult. Some of the extensive bee- 

 keepers of America use "swarm-catchers" to prevent 

 such unions. These swarm-catchers are about 12 inches 

 square at the end, and 4 or 5 feet long. Four posts about 

 one inch thick, fastened as a frame and covered with . 

 muslin or other thin cloth, maybe termed "the American 

 swarm-catcher,'' and is simply a square sack of thin 

 materials. Well, when one swarm is half or wholly on 

 the wing, and another commences to issue, the sack is 

 placed around the door of the hive, and the swarm rushes 

 into it, and may be hived as convenience dictates. 



But two swarms united may be separated — that is to 

 say, the two queens may be caught and put into different 

 hives, and the bees divided between them. There are 

 various ways of doing this, all of which will answer if 

 done with a skilful hand. The man who can swarm bees 

 artificially has experience enough to divide and subdivide 

 swarms as much as he likes. The man who has not 

 courage to do this will let both swarms remain together. 

 If separation he attempted, it should be done as soon after 

 swarming as possible, otherwise one of the queens will be 

 destroyed. 



When two swarms belonging to different people unite 

 and cannot be separated, the one who retains the swarm 

 should allow the other about half value — say 10s. for a 

 20s. swarm, for it is of less value in its united state than 

 when separate and single. 



In natural swarming, as has already been explained, 

 the old queen goes with the first swarm, and leaves be- 

 hind her in the old hive eggs or grubs in royal cells. 

 When these come to perfection, the piping commences, 

 and lasts three days and nights. If the bees determine 

 not to send off a second swarm, the piping is stopped at 

 first, and all the surplus queens are killed and cast out. If 



