68 MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTEALASIA 



WORKING TO INCREASE. 



NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL INCREASE. 



As the hives breed up towards late spring, oppor- 

 tunities arise that make increase of colonies very 

 desirable. In overhauling the combs signs of swarming 

 are apparent. The colonies have built a number of queen- 

 cells, and the royal mother begins to lay fewer eggs 

 in order to gradually contract the ovaries sufficiently 

 to enable her to fly with the swarm. Here is then 

 a favourable chance to utilise the young queens that 

 will soon hatch out of the peanut-shaped cells. If 

 the colonies are permitted to cast natural swarms, 

 these would, of course, make some extra colonies. 

 Normally there are several queen-cells built and if 

 only two queens are saved it is a serious economic 

 waste to allow the surplus to be destroyed. Now 

 do not imagine from this that all cells so built should, 

 or could be saved, for they can not. If the colony 

 has proved itself a good honey gathering strain, quiet, 

 peaceable to handle, and free from disease, then an effort 

 should be put forth to save all the cells if they are large 

 and strong. A good plan is to get a queen-excluder 

 (Fig. 57A), and an extra hive-body containing frames 

 of foundation. Excluders are generally made from a 

 sheet of zinc, with perforations just large enough to give 

 worker-bees free passage through, but effectually 

 debarring queens and drones. Some excluders are made 

 of wire. 



Lift gently from its bottom board the hive containing 

 the queen-cells, which should never be jarred or shaken, 

 and let the body of foundation take its place. Select 

 from the brood-combs one containing unsealed larvae and 

 eggs, then catch the queen and put her on this comb. If 

 queen-cells are built on this comb they must be removed 

 with a warm penknife and carefully attached to the other 

 frames; no cells should be placed in the body containing 

 the foundation. The excluder is now placed on top and 



