246 
Beekeeping 
natural swarm and they may then be thrown in the new 
hive. If possible, the queen should be seen so that the 
operator may be sure that she is off the old combs. It is 
necessary that she be obtained, unless one desires to requeen 
at this time, in which event the old queen should be cap¬ 
tured and the new one may be run in with the bees and will 
be promptly accepted. The box-hive containing the brood 
is now placed right side up in a new location. In 21 days 
all of the worker brood will have emerged and possibly 
some new queens will be reared. These bees may be driven 
out and united 
with their former 
hive-mates by 
allowing them to 
run in the en¬ 
trance. They 
should, however, 
be compelled to 
go through per¬ 
forated zinc or a 
queen and drone 
trap (Fig. 30) to 
keep out the 
young queens. 
Fig. 109. — Cutting combs from a box-hive. The old combs 
may now be 
melted after removing the honey. By this method straight 
combs are obtained. If nectar is not being collected, the 
newly established colony should be fed. 
Plan 2. — Wait until a swarm issues from the box-hive 
and then move the old hive to a new location. The swarm 
is then placed in a new hive on the old stand and it is further 
increased by returning field bees. After 21 days the bees 
which have emerged are united with the bees in the new 
hive, as described under Plan 1. 
Plan 3. — If the beekeeper desires to save the combs in 
the box-hive, the bees may be drummed into a box, after 
