SWARMING IN M0VABLE-C0M3 HIVEb. 93 



can be made from every five stocks as often as the loss is 

 regained, and yet all the stocks, Loth old and new, be in condi- 

 tion for winter, should swarming be continued past the usual 

 season. "Whenever the weather becomes unfavorable, or pas- 

 turage seems to be failing, swarming should be discontinued till 

 honey is again plenty. 



Another method, is to take out half the combs with the bees 

 adhering to them, and place them in the new hive ; put in the 

 empty frames, and set the hives a foot or two apart, one on the 

 right and the other on the left of the old stand. They must be 

 watched an hour or two, to keep the bees about equal. If one 

 hive seems to be getting more than its share, move that a little 

 farther from, or the other nearer to, the old stand. A board set 

 up between them and projecting a little in front will help divide 

 the returning bees. If the hives are not the same color, the old 

 one must be partially covered with a cloth, to change its appear- 

 ance, else it will get most of the bees. If the queenless part be 

 not determined by the motion of the bees, it may be known in 

 two or three days by its having started queen-cells. 



If a fertile queen is not at hand for the queenless part, prevent 

 the construction of much drone comb by giving it all but one or 

 two of the combs. In taking them from the other hive, brush 

 back all the bees, lest the queen be removed. If more stocks be 

 divided in eight or ten days, a queen-cell for each queenless part 

 may be obtained from this stock. 



The queenless part of a divided stock should have the date of 

 its division marked upon the hive or otherwise noted, for it a 

 queen-cell was not inserted at the time of dividing, it will have 



