REMOVING FRAMES, 197 
pointing at them with the finger, by darting upon it, and 
leaving their stings behind. 
397. The first thing to be done, after having opened a 
hive and removed the cloth (352), is to remove the divis- 
ion-board (349) from the inside of the hive—to give room 
for handling the frames,—with the help of a common wood 
chisel. Then the frames which have been glued (236) 
fast to the rabbets by the bees, must be very gently pried 
loose ; this may be done without any serious jar, and with- 
out wounding or enraging a single bee. They may be all 
loosened for removal in less than a single minute. 
If there is no division-board (849) in the hive, the Api- 
arist should gently push the third frame from either end of 
the hive, a little nearer to the fourth frame; and then the 
second as near as he can to the third, to get ample room to 
lift out the end one, without crushing its comb, or injuring 
any of the bees. To remove it, he should take hold of its 
two shoulders which rest upon the rabbets, and carefully 
lift it, so as to crush no bees by letting it touch the sides of 
the hive, or the next frame. Ifit is desired to remove any 
particular frame, room must be gained by moving, in the 
same way, the adjoining ones on each side. As bees usu- 
ally build their combs slightly waving, it will be found 
impossible to remove a frame safely, without making room 
for it in this way. If the combs are built on foundation 
(674), however, they will be much easier to remove, as 
they are then perfectly straight. In handling heavy frames 
in hot weather, be careful not to incline them from their 
perpendicular, or the combs will be liable to break from their 
own weight, and fall out of the frames. 
If more combs are to be examined, after lifting out the 
outside frame, set it carefully on end, near the hive, when 
the second one may be easily moved towards the vacant 
space, and lifted out. After examination, put it in the place 
of the one first removed; in the same way, examine the 
