NATURAL SWARMING. i8i 



by smoke driving the insects upwards, till they learn 

 the whereabouts of comfortable quarters. At other 

 times there is no resource but making the swarm 

 take to flight, in the hope that a more suitable place 

 will be chosen by them for their next assemblage. 

 There is a danger, however, that if thus compelled 

 to move, a too distant excursion may be made, and 

 the whole colony thus be lost. 



As soon as all, or very nearly all, the bees have 

 gone up into the skep, or into the quarters they 

 are to occupj', it is advisable to move them to the 

 stand intended for their permanent position. Some 

 apiarians, however, recommend waiting till evening 

 for taking this step. We must dissent from their 

 opinion for two reasons : firstly, because it often 

 happens that, in a place away from the apiary, 

 something may occur to disturb the bees, and they 

 will forsake the hive. In fact, last season (1883) we 

 have ourselves lost a valuable colony, which, through 

 not being brought home at once from the place 

 where they had settled, were meddled with by a 

 passing dog, and took another flight far away, and, 

 though followed long and diligently inquired after, 

 they were not again discovered. Then, too, the 

 sooner the bees are placed in their proper position, 

 the sooner will those going in quest of supphes learn 

 their new home. If left so little as six or eight 

 hours in the spot at which they first settle, many 

 will continue to hover about it all the succeeding 

 day, and even longer. For these reasons, therefore, 

 we advocate a speedy carrying of a swarm to the 

 site selected for it. 



It, is an established fact that, previously to swarm- 



