NATURAL SWARMING. 101 



thunder, to frigliten the bees from all idea of flying away. 

 Sand and soil are thrown up amongst the bees to make 

 them believe it rains. Such artificial thunder and rain 

 have no influence whatever over a swarm of bees. It is 

 understood by some that in ancient times these noises 

 were made to intimate to the neighbours that a swarm of 

 bees was on the wing, believing that the noise gave the 

 owner a legal right to claim and hive the swarm wherever 

 it alighted. 



Fortunately swarms almost always settle near home 

 for a short time before they seek a more abiding habita- 

 tion elsewhere ; but when they have decided to go to a 

 distance, and have commenced their march, nothing will 

 stop them. We have known one or two fugitive swarms 

 shot at. The poor feUow who shot said, " If I can hit 

 and bring down the queen the bees will return." He 

 was right enough in his ideas, but unfortunately he 

 missed the queen, and lost his swarm. 



These fugitive swarms rise higher than houses and 

 trees, and travel at the rate of about eight miles an hour ; 

 so it is hard work to follow them. 



If swarms are not speedily hived they may be lost ; 

 and sometimes they will hang for a day before they de- 

 part. Old combs in the hollows of trees or roofs of 

 houses are very inviting. All hives that have lost their 

 bees in winter should be placed where swarms belonging 

 to other people cannot find them. AU honest persons 

 wOl do this. Some dishonest persons expose their dead 

 hives with combs in them, for the purpose of catching 

 swarms not their own. 



When a swarm alights on two separate places, both 

 lots should be put in one hive. 



In large apiaries two swarms, and sometimes three, 

 issue at the same time, and generally unite. The queens 

 go with the multitude, and foUow the noise. It is an 



