236 NATURAL SWARMING. 
In the first case, one or more young queens being raised in 
the hive, it often happens that the old queen tries to destroy 
them; the bees prevent her (112), and swarming is the 
result. The same reason may cause swarming in a strong 
colony, in which a queen has been introduced (633) by 
the Apiarist, during a good yield of honey. Perhaps the 
bees accept her ‘‘under protest,’’? and soon begin raising 
queen-cells (104) to replace her, but the abundant honey 
harvest causes them to change their preparations, and they 
swarm with this introduced queen. A hive which has been 
made queenless during the honey crop, may swarm for the 
same reasons (443), as soon as the young queens are old 
enough. 
466. The prevention of natural swarming, when comb- 
honey is raised in sections (721), is not so successful, 
because the Apiarist cannot furnish his bees with empty 
combs. But very good results can be obtained, by follow- 
ing as nearly as possible all the directions above given. 
467. As the queen cannot get through an opening 
of an inch high—which will just pass a loaded worker, if the 
entrance to the hive be contracted to this dimension, she 
will not be able to leave with a swarm. 
This is done with drone or queen-traps, perforated zinc, 
entrance-blocks, and other fixtures. (See Drone-trap, 191). 
This method of preventing swarming requires great accur- 
acy of measurement, for a very trifling deviation from the 
dimensions given, will either shut out the loaded workers, or 
let out the queen. It should be used only to imprison old 
queens; for young ones, if confined to the hive, cannot be 
impregnated (120). These fixtures, if firmly fastened, will 
exclude mice from the hive in the Winter. When used to 
prevent all swarming, it will be necessary to adjust them a 
little after sunrise and before sunset, to take out, or allow- 
the bees to carry out any drones that have died. 
We have seen colonies kill their queen, and raise an- 
