MANIPULATION OP COLONIES 
581 
apparently ready to take wing. When 
they do so, it may be a hop of two or 
three inches or a quick sharp dart, with¬ 
out warning, for any exposed part of the 
beekeeper’s anatomy. But even if the bees 
do make a general onslaught, and grab as 
if about to strike, stings may be averted 
if the operator is quick enough to brush 
the bee or bees off. There is an interval 
of a fraction of a second, not very long, 
it is true, in which, after the bee shoves 
its claws into the flesh, it can be brushed 
off, just before the sting gets into action, 
for a bee, when it stings, must have a 
good strong hold, and it is while it is tak¬ 
ing this hold that the apiarist can often 
save himself many a wicked jab. 
Pig. 10.—Method of inserting the hive-tool under 
the cover; blowing smoke into the gap thus made. 
If, then, the bees seem inclined to fly up, 
they should be smoked just enough to keep 
them down. If an attendant is present, let 
him use the smoker. See Stings, subhead 
“How to Avoid Being' Stung.” 
HOW TO HANDLE UNSPACED FRAMES. 
To get at the center frame, crowd the 
frames adjacent to it, one at a time, toward 
the sides of the hive. This will give room 
to lift out the desired frame. Beginners 
are very apt to pull the frames out without 
spacing the frames apart. This rolls the 
bees over and over, enrages and maims 
them, and moreover runs a pretty good 
chance of killing the queen. Lift the frame 
out carefully, and be careful not to knock 
the end-bars against the sides of the hive. 
If it is one’s first experience he may be 
nervous, and do things a little hurriedly. 
As a reward, the bees will quite likely sting 
him and make him still more nervous. To 
avoid this, proceed very cautiously and 
make the movements deliberate. Having 
removed the frame, hold it up as shown in 
Pig. 1, .called the first positipn. 
HOW TO FIND THE QUEEN. 
Perhaps the queen is not to be seen on 
this side, so it may be necessary to turn it 
over and see the other side. If the comb is 
not heavy with honey, it can be turned 
right over with the bottom-bar resting hori¬ 
zontally. But a better way, and a good 
habit to fall into, and one that beekeepers 
usually adopt, is to raise the right hand un¬ 
til the top-bar is perpendicular, as in 
Pig. 2. 
Now revolve the frame like a swinging 
door, or the leaf of a book, so that the 
opposite side is exposed to view (see Pig. 
2). Lower the right hand as in Pig. 3 until 
it reaches the position as sliOAvn in Fig. 4. 
To examine the other side follow the exact 
reverse order. 
Having examined this frame, lean it up 
against the side of the hive, and remove 
another frame next to the one already tak¬ 
en. Examine this in like manner. Lean 
this also against one corner of the hive, or 
return it to its place; lift out another, and 
so on until all have been examined. Should 
the queen not yet have been found, look the 
frames all over again, being careful to ex¬ 
amine the bottom edge of the combs. See 
Plow to Manipulate Hoffman Frames. 
If the queen is not found on the second 
examination it may be advisable to g*o over 
the frames once more; but very often it is 
better to close the hive and wait an hour op 
