TRAPPING WILD BEES. 
95 
and should fit the hole to exclude the light. The inner end 
reaching to the centre of the hive should have a valve of light 
wood or paper hung to its upper side to cover the end. Open 
llie door to the observation glass, and when enough bees have 
crowded into the hive to cover the glass, close the door and 
allow them to pass into the upper hive, which should be pre- 
pared to receive a swarm with frames in place, honey for lood, 
and comb with eggs, from which to rear a queen, unless a fertile 
queen can be given it, caged, as in nucleus swarming. The 
piece of comb with eggs may be brought in a small box, with 
bees to keep them warm until needed. As often as the bees be- 
come thick upon the observation glass, close the door and draw 
the slide from the hole above, when the bees seeing the light 
will ascend into the upper hive. Should the bees cease coming 
before a good swarm is taken, open the other fly-hole near the 
tube and let some out till a strong line is again formed, being 
careful to have the slide cover the hole in the bottom of the 
upper hive whenever light is admitted into the lower one. A 
moderate sized swarm may often be taken without using the 
upper hive. After removing the luve to the apiary, let it stand 
closed till halt an hour before sunset on the third day, when the 
queen must be uncaged and the bees allowed to fly. If no 
queen were given them, the hive should be opened in about three 
weeks, and the drone comb removed from the centre, if there 
be time to collect stores for winter, otherwise it should be left 
till spring. 
