SWARMS AND SWAEMING 85 



and in spite of the best management a swarm will 

 occasionally get away with a queen not clipped. This 

 often occurs when the queen is a virgin, or with ' ' after ' ' 

 swarms. The remarks on queen-rearing will make it 

 plain why a virgin cannot have her wings clipped, and it 

 is the frisky youngsters that go in for aerial records, 

 clustering high among the tall eucalyptus trees. 



To secure swarms that attach themselves to twigs 

 say up to 14 feet high, a swarm-catcher made after the 

 style illustrated in Fig. 43 will come in very nicely; it 

 is light to carry and effective. It is simply a ring of 

 % inch iron sewn into the top hem of some strong net 

 and mounted on a long stick. Push it up among the 

 leaves right under the swarm, dragging the ring under- 

 neath the bough — to cut the bees off, so to speak; a 

 slight turn of the handle closes the mouth of the bag. 

 Wait until the flying bees have clustered on the bag, then 

 gently lower to the ground and hive as already directed. 



There is one circumstance that requires special 

 mention; under the heading of the insects' anatomy will 

 be found a passing reference to the breathing-tubes of 

 the body. They are small eyelet-like holes with tubes 

 along the sides of the body to enable the bee to absorb 

 oxygen. This fact must not be lost sight of when handling 

 swarms. Do not on any account attempt to hive a swarm 

 on frames wet with honey, or in a box washed out with 

 sweet water, etc. ; swarming-out is a foregone conclusion 

 if either of the above are used. When the swarm leaves 

 the parent hive, each worker carries in her bag or sac 

 sufficient honey for a week's supply. Now it stands to 

 reason that when the gorged insects are confined to sticky 

 combs and get covered with honey they are unable to 

 clean the spiracles that supply the air, so the insects 

 surely suffocate. Fortunately the bee is well aware of 

 this danger, and unless confined to the hive will quickly 

 leave. 



When a swarm has hung out exposed to the elements 

 during a spell of boisterous weather, the honey sacs 

 become depleted, and the bees are in a hungry and weary 



