98 BEEKEEPING 



spent in the air would return to the hive 

 and go ahead with their work. This joy- 

 riding continued day after day for a week 

 or more and I never did understand just 

 what it was all about. At the time I know 

 I was a very much worried beekeeper. 



When a normal swarm issues from a 

 hive accompanied by an undipped queen, 

 it will settle on any convenient object in 

 the neighborhood before going to its new 

 quarters — wherever they may be. The 

 cluster of bees may form on a low shrub 

 a few feet from the hive or it may decide 

 to go to the top of one of the tallest trees 

 in the neighborhood. It is to prevent any 

 such performance that we clip the queen's 

 wings so that she can not fly. The 

 result of this precaution is to have the 

 swarm come to a cluster about the queen 

 close to the hive or in some cases to return 

 to the hive. In either event the beekeeper 

 must do something to satisfy the instinct 

 of the bees. Usually this means providing 

 them with more room. 



