90 AUSTRALIAN BEE LORE AND BEE CULTURE- 



over the site chosen. They will soon forsake it for one better 

 adapted to your purpose; if not, repeat the action. 



If they have chosen a leafy bush on which to settle, boxing 

 them is easily enough done. Place the receiving-box directly under 

 the cluster of bees, mouth upwards; give the bough a sudden jerk; 

 the bees will fall in and around the box. Then turn it over, with 

 the bees in it — of course some will fall out— resting on three little 

 stones. The bees will at once begin entering it; but should they 

 return to the bough, wait till about half are clustered, and shake 

 them again. 



Sometimes they are so indiscreet as to select a bough high up 

 out of reach. It is then the swarm-catcher comes in very handy, 

 as will be seen by the illustrations. To your swarm-catcher have 

 other portions, so as to lengthen it. These can be made like a 

 jointed fishing-rod, each portion having a ferrule on one end. When 

 the bees are so situated, let them well cluster before you use the 

 catcher. Raise the catcher to the swarm till it surrounds them ; 

 then, with a sudden jerk, shake them into it. Let it rest tor a 

 while somewhere in the locality where the bees clustered. The 

 bees on the wing will soon join those within the catcher. Having 

 secured your bees in the receiving-box — that is, when a half or 

 two-thirds are settled therein — lose no time in removing the box 

 a few yards away. The bees that have gone back to the oM 

 spot — and some hundreds of them will be sure to do so — and those 

 that are on the wing, will soon find it and enter it more fretely 

 and much sooner than if it be permitted to remain where they 

 were first shaken. 



When the bees are well settled in the receiving-box, don't 

 be too particular if a few hundreds are on the wing; it won't 

 matter. Take them to the hive that is to be their permanent 

 home. Always have an untenanted hive, properly fitted up with 

 starters (strips of foundation comb attached to the top bar of each 

 frame), and put in position so that all the frames will hang per- 

 fectly plumb. Remove the cover of the hive and also the quilt ; 

 space the frames — don't be too particular just now — bring over 

 the bees in the receiving-box, and tumble them pell-mell on top 

 of the frames (you will see how by referring to the illustrations 

 of transferring, p. 101). As soon as they are thrown on to the 

 frames they will begin to descend in a moving mass into the 

 hive. Pick up the quilt, place it over the bees that are resting 

 on the frames — it won't injure them — put four stones, one on each 



