96 AUSTRALIAN EEE LORE AND BEE CULTURE 



your head-gear, and you stand bare-headed with a frame of irritable 

 bees in your hand. Under such circumstances an apprentice at 

 the work would find it hard to follow out the advice I so often 

 give — be gentle and kind in handling your bees. Level the spot 

 whdre each hive is to stand. Place four pieces of brick on the 

 ground, so they may stand about two inches high. The 



surfaces of these must be even, try them each way with a spirit- 

 level. On these, place your hives. Before placing the frames in 

 the hives see that the starters (artificial foundation comb, from 

 1 to 2 inches deep, attached to the top bar of the) frame) are 

 securely fastened to the top bar. For hiving purposes I prefer 

 these starters to full sheets. In placing the frames in the hives 

 see that they hang plumb and equidistant from each other. Put 

 a quilt over the frames, and the lid in position. In fact, 

 treat each empty hive intended for the reception of bees as if 

 the colony were in it. You will find an advantage in this when 

 your new swarms issue forth. A swarm-catcher of some descrip- 

 tion, a bee- veil (always wear one on your hat ready for use), and 

 a queen-cage should be near by, so that you may be able to place 

 your hand on them at a moment's notice. A queen-cage is 

 necessary if you keep your queens with clipped wings. If beea 

 are kept in a town it is an advantage to clip the queen's wings, 

 and also, if your occupation keeps you around about your bees 

 during swarming season, otherwise there is. no advantage in 't, 

 especially with first swarms. There are a number of other swarm- 

 ing devices, all more or less useful, for which see supply dealers' 

 catalogues. 



In Symptoms of Swarming I have mentioned the piping of 

 the queen. By placing the ear to the hive this cry may be heard 

 on the eve prior to swarming. But the absence of the cry is 

 no proof the bees will not swarm on the morrow. On the 

 morning of the day the bees intend to swarm, the inmates of 

 neighbouring hives will be seen issuing forth and returning with 

 all the energy they are capable of, whilst the hive the swarm 

 is expected from will be quiet, and labour will appear to be almost 

 suspended, only a few bees passing in and out. Yet this is not 

 an infallible sign. I have frequently seen a swarm of bees on the 

 wing, and mixed up with them numbers of bees with their pollen- 

 baskets well packed with pollen ; evidently they had not received 

 word that swarming was to take place that day. 



The time of day for bees to swarm is not well defined. It 



