Cottager and Smallholder 17 



flying bees to enter, which they will quickly do if the queen 

 has heen secured. 



When shaking, care should he taken to get as many hees 

 as possible into the skep or box to ensure securing the queen, 

 for if she is left out they will take wing, ana the whole 

 operation will have to be repeated. If the swarm clusters in 

 a, position from which it is impossible to shake it, fix the 

 empty skep or box above so that one edge just touches the 

 topmost bees ; they will then gradually go into it. To prevent 

 the swarm absconding through being overheated, the skep 

 or box containing it should be shaded from the sun by means 

 of a sheet or open umbrella. In the evening they should be 

 taken to their permanent stand, and run into a movable comb 

 hive as described later. 



Never dress the hiving receptacle inside with beer, treacle, 

 or other sweet stuffs, as this may cause robbing by other 

 bees. 



VI.— SECOND SWARMS, OR CASTS. 



A -ast or second swarm usually comes out about nine days 

 after the first one has issued. Generally, when bees anticipate 

 casting, all the virgin queens in the cells are allowed to 

 emerge, instead of the remainder being killed immediately the 

 first one is out, which is the case when no further swarming 

 is to take place. 



There may be from one to eight virgin queens in a cast, 

 but after hiving one only survives in the eliminating fight. 

 A virgin is als-o left in the parent colony to become its future 

 mother. 



Casts should not be encouraged as they weaken the parent 

 colony, and, apart from the small possibility of their being 

 able, unless fed generously, to establish themselves strongly 

 enough to winter successfully, reduce the old colony's chance 

 of building up strong enough to pass the same period in safety. 



Should a cast issue, it is better to return it by running it 

 back at the entrance in the same manner that a swarm is 

 hived. This should be done on the evening of the second day 

 after the cast issued. All the virgin queens will then have 

 emerged and be old enough to fight during the night until only 

 one survives, and no further trouble will ensue. 



Casts may be prevented by cutting out all queen cells but 

 the best one immediately after the swarm has issued. If 

 two, or even three casts are joined together they will be more 

 likely to make strong colonies. 



