REMOVING I'llAMES. 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 eloth (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 cominon wood 

 chisel. Then the frames which have been glued (236) 

 fast to the rabbets bj' 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 (349) 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. If it 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 tlie one first removed; in the same way, examine th^ 



