HYMENOPTERA. 3d8 
settled in a difficult place, and you are afraid of being stung, you 
hold the hive under the cluster of bees and make them fall into it, 
either by shaking the branch to which the swarm is attached very 
hard, or by means of a small broom, or even with the hand, for 
then they very rarely sting; it is hardly ever necessary to take 
any precautions in approaching them, except for swarms which 














Fig. 324.—Taking a swarm, 
have been fixed for many hours, or since the day before. When 
the bees have fallen in a mass to the bottom of the hive, you turn 
this gently over, and place it on a piece of linen stretched out on 
the ground near the place where the swarm was, or on a tray, or 
simply on the ground itself, if it is dry and clean. You will have 
taken care to place on this linen a little wedge, a stick or a 
stone to raise the hive a little, and to leave more room through 
AA 


