2i6 BEE MANIPULATION. [Ch. v. 



their honey-bags, are inclined to vent their ill-humour 

 on the apiarian ; or, what is far more likely, the bees 

 of neighbouring hives may be incensed if they see him 

 manifesting unusual excitement. When all is ready the 

 new hive (a straw skep is the most convenient in the 

 first instance, but if that is not at hand a box or any- 

 thing else will serve as a substitute) is held or placed in 

 an inverted position under the cluster of bees, which the 

 operator detaches from their perch with one or two quick 

 shakes; the floor-board is next placed on the hive, which 

 is then slowly turned up on to its base, and it is well to 

 leave it a short time in the same place, in order to allow 

 of stragglers joining their companions. The operator 

 should make sure that he has not left the queen behind 

 on the branch, as in that case the bees would return to 

 her. 



Sometimes swarms alight on trunks of trees or on 

 walls, where it may be difficult to shake or brush them off. 

 The late Mr. Woodbury mentioned an instance of this 

 kind. A swarm clustered among the large branches of 

 a pear tree, just at their point of union with the trunk. 

 In this case he merely supported a straw hive just over 

 the swarm with the left hand, whilst he struck the trunk 

 of the tree with the open palm of the right. The vibration 

 thus produced sent the bees up into the hive with -great 

 rapidity, and the entire swarm was speedily hived in the 

 most satisfactory manner. Mr. Langstroth in a similar 

 case fastened a leafy branch above the bees with a gimlet, 



