21 



Bees have the habit of marking their location. In so doing they leave 

 the hive and fly but a few inches and then turn their heads toward 

 the entrance and fly hack and forth gradually increasing the distance, 

 taking a survey of the immediate surroundings and noticeable objects 

 in the vicinity of the hive after which they return to the hive and 

 start in a straight line from it. On returning they come directly to 

 the hive and enter. So thoroughly is the location of the hive learned 

 that if the entrance is moved a foot they are likely to miss their land- 

 ing on the return from their first trip. 



KIND OP BEES TO liliY. 



Some prefer to purchase ordinary bees regardless of the race in any 

 ordinary type of hive and then transfer them to a movable frame hive 

 in order to gain experience. In some cases this is justifiable but there 

 are many things to be taken into consideration. Often times through 

 the process of transferring, the queen may be injured or killed and 

 resultingly the colony dies. Diseases may be present. Combs may be 

 old and crooked, and direct transfer to a movable frame hive is im- 

 possible as well as impracticable. In purchasing bees in box hives 

 it is well to examine the hive carefully by inclining it to one side or 

 Inverting it and looking between the combs. If there is an abund- 

 ance of capped brood, young larvae and bees, it may be considered in 



Figure 6. 

 A Good Start But Poor Housing. Bees Should be Kept in Only Modern. 



Hives. 



good condition. Colonies having numerous bees flying in and out on a 

 warm day in the spring, and if it appears that many bees are return- 

 ing with pollen on their legs, they may be considered safely good to 

 buy. 



