SWAKMING. 149 



close, we examine again, and find the scaled queens 

 destroyed, we at once conclude that they are done 

 swarming. 



CABE IN EXAMINING BEES. 



Full hives require a little more care in turning over, 

 than others. You need not be in fear of the bees, running 

 up the sides of the hive ; they will not sting. Lift the hive 

 carefully, and avoid breathing among them, except to blow 

 the smoke. It can be don.e at morning or evening, but 

 more bees are in the way, and they are more inclined to 

 be cross. In operating with the native bees, protection 

 for the face or hands is hardly necessary, but with the 

 Italians it would sometimes be well to put something over 

 the face. 



To a person who has never inverted a hive full to over- 

 flowing of bees, or has never seen it done, it appears like a 

 great undertaking, as well as the probable ruin of the 

 stocks. But after the first trial, the magnitude of the per- 

 formance is greatly diminished, and will grow less with 

 every repetition of the feat, until there is not the least 

 dread attending it. Without smoke, I hardly deem it 

 practicable, but with it there is not the least difficulty. It 

 would be very unsatisfactory to turn over a hive, and have 

 nothing with which to drive the bees away from the very 

 places which you wish particularly to inspect. The smoke 

 is just the thing to do it. 



I never discovered any bad efiects of such overturning 

 and smoking. 



With the piovable comb hive we have only to lift out 

 the frames, to be able to predict when a swarm may be 

 expected. 



I have found the requisites for all regular swarms to be 

 something like this. The combs must be crowded with 

 bees ; they must contain a numerous brood advancing from 



