58 
BEE-CULTURE. 
the bees,. after flying awhile, will return to the hive. -If they 
have clustered and she is taken from them they will all go back 
to their hive. If they have been hived and lose their queen 
in any way within a day or two, before they have become 
well established in their new abode, they will all come out and 
go to their old home. These facts have given the impression 
that if the queen be taken from a colony the bees will all 
leave. But in no case that I know of, except those that I have 
mentioned, will the loss of the queen have such an effect. 
Even a dead queen given to a swarm will ordinarily induce 
the bees to stay. But I do not know that her presence would 
have any other effect. 
When colonies are well established in their hives and dis- 
posed to swarm out at improper times, I have often taken 
their queen from them to induce them to stay. As there is 
no likelihood of their swarming if they have no queen to go 
with them, when a branch containing the bees can be cut, 
it is best to set the hive on its stand and carry the swarm to 
it to be hived. I usually take a pint or two of bees on my 
hand and empty them at the entrance of the hive first. A 
ladle or pan can be used for this purpose, if one does not like 
to use his hand, but there is comparatively little danger of 
being stung at this time, as they generally fill themselves with 
honey before leaving the parent hive ; and bees filled with 
any thing sweet rarely sting. When the bees havo been 
placed at the entrance of the hive, some of them will enter, 
and being joyed at discovering what seems to them the home 
they need, they will get up a general hum, and those outside, 
attracted by the sound, will hasten in, buzzing as they go. 
Then shake down the rest of the swarm, and they will all go 
in ; if they arc inclined to take wing, a little water sprinkled 
on them will prevent it. If they are slow to enter, gently 
shake the cloth or paper they are on, or brush them with a 
quill to hurry them. Be sure to got them all in before you 
leave them, as the queen may not be in, and eventually, she 
may take wing and the whole swarm go to the woods. So 
soon as all are in that can be got in conveniently, set the 
hive where it is intended to remain. Those that are still fly- 
ing about will return to the parent stock. But if they are 
left sitting where they are hived until night, and then 
removed, a great number of the bees will have marked their 
locality, like a colony in the spring of the year, and when 
