HINTS ON WORKING THE BEES 71 
As a rule, though, the old queen comes 
out with the first swarm, but I have known 
cases in which swarming has been delayed, 
when as many as five queens, including the 
old one, have come out with the first swarm. 
In a very strong hive a virgin queen will 
sometimes come out with a first swarm, but 
in such cases the swarm, as a rule, is a very 
small one. 
The hive used for a swarm should be 
scrupulously clean and _ contain sufficient 
frames and combs for the requirements of 
the swarm. It is usual to place only one 
thin quilt over the frames for the first few 
days after a swarm has been given possession. 
Hives containing newly placed swarms 
are usually allowed to stay until the evening 
of the day before they are removed, but, of 
course, if the situation is an inconvenient one, 
or if the hive is liable to be a nuisance to 
the public, it should be taken away at once. 
If allowed to remain it must be sheltered 
from the rays of the sun or the heat will 
cause the bees again to issue forth. 
Should a swarm not be required by the 
bee-keeper he must return it to the hive 
whence it issued very early on the morning 
following the day of swarming. 
