§xv.] REMOVING FRAMES. 271 



These must now be gently prised up from front to 

 rear ; this may be done with a small screw-driver or 

 other stout instrument with a wedged end to go into the 

 notches. They fit loosely so as to permit of a slight 

 movement from back to front; a lateral or sideway 

 movement might kill the queen, or, if not so fatal as 

 that, might crush some of the bees and injure the brood 

 combs, which must be carefully avoided. Of course 

 much depends upon the nature of the operation that 

 has to be performed, whether or no all the frames should 

 be thus loosened. If it be for making artificial swarms, 

 or for any purpose that requires an interview with her 

 majesty, the whole of them must be loosened, because 

 it may happen that all the combs have to be examined, 

 sometimes twice over, before she can be discovered. 

 Bees are very apt to build their combs in a slightly 

 waving form, and in extracting one it will be needful 

 to make room both for the comb and bees upon it to 

 pass without scraping the next comb, and there will be 

 a difficulty if the apiarian attempts to draw out one 

 comb whilst the other frames are located in their appro- 

 priate places. Where a dummy frame is provided the-, 

 operation becomes simple ; but if there is none, let the 

 operator gently proceed to lift, say, the third frame 

 slightly nearer to the fourth frame (allowing it to lodge 

 on the little block that divides the notches),* and the 



* Many hives are now made without notches, so that it is nectessary 

 only to shde the frames. 



