BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
to the window ; and a flort time after, let the hive be placed near them, and they will all run into it chearfully : after which the hive, thus re-inforced, may be placed in its former futation, provided it be about a mile ditant from the place where the old hive formerly food. Upon this plan, even all the combs may be taken out of a hive one by one, during which time, the bees will fly to the window, and a few of, the bees of the receiving hive being made to join them, upon their uniting kindly, the re-ceiving hive may be placed as above directed. I have often re-inforced weak hives in fpring, which have done very well, though, at other times, they turned out very indifferently. I therefore feldom attempt to do it now, till the ftrong hives are full of bees, and seem to be near fwarning : on which occasions they can afford 2000 common bees to ftrengthen a weak hive, with very little injury to their own. Again, in fummer, a weak hive may be re-inforced by changing its futation with that of a ftrong one, upon a fine day, when the bees are bully employed at work. I have often practifed this bufinefs with much fucces and fatisfaction. But, if they fould not unite in a friendly manner, let both be turned up, the frange* 144 _Of Habitations for Bees._
ftrange bees rapped out, and each hive reftored
to its former f
**for** **Bees.**
**box** **hive will** **lift as long as three of them. I have known many bee-mafters, who never** **ufed any other kind of hives, and whole bees throw very well. I believe, however, they are rather colder in winter, but a proper covering will prevent all danger from that quarter. But** **fraw** **hives are eaefeit obtained at** **firth, and have been ufed and recommended by the** **moft of bee-mafters.**
**As to the fize, a hive that will hold about** \(2\frac{1}{T}\) **pecks, Linlithgow meafure, will hold a pretty large fwarn; but there is no certain rule to judge what hive will be exactly filled by a fwarn. Much depends upon the fucceeding** **feafon. If the fwarn be early and large, it will require a large hive; but if otherwise, the hive should be proportionally lefs. If a fwarn be put into one of the fize above mentioned, and the bees fill it foon, and appear to want more room, it can eafily be enlarged, by putting an eek below it: but if it be heavy enough for a flock hive, it will do, although it fhould not be quite full of combs.**
**A** **fraw hive, when made, fhould have a piece of wood, fixed in the undernoff roll, four inches long, with a notch cut out of it, three inches long, and one high, for an entry to the** **T** **bees**
### 146 Of Habitations for Beets.
bees. The draw of rye or wheat is left for making hives : The heads of the draw should be cut off; The rolls should be drawn very tight, and wrought together with f
**for the health of the whole family ; and as**
**some of the rooms** **mult be colder than others,**
**the bees,** **efpecially in winter, will all draw to**
**one place ; leaving the other apartments empty,**
**and expofed to fuch a degree of cold, as will**
**probably make the honey candy and, become**
**ufelefs.** **Befides this method is unnatural, for the bees always lodge in one apartment, when left**
**to their own liberty, provided it be large e-
**nough to hold them : and as they lay their eggs in the middle part of their combs and**
**hives firf, and afterwards gradually enlarge the brood around the centre of the** **hive, they**
**not only get them more easily defended from all danger, but alfo fooner hatched, by the**
**paper degree of heat.**
**Colonies have never yet_been, and I am per-
**fuaded never will be extended to general**
**although it is nearly two centuries**
**since they were invented by**
**John Geddy, Efo. I will not deny, however, that bees may thrive pret.**
**try well upon this plan ; which**
**end to have one advantage, as, when properly**
**contrucled,** **thef hives afford an opportunity to the inquifitive philofopher of feing the bees
**carry on their labours. Colony hives are made in various forms, according to the tate of**
**T a**
**different**
### 148 Of Habitations for Res.
different gentlemen. Some confit of three boxes, placed one above another ; others of an equal number placed collaterally ; and a third kind are made with one box in the front, another behind that, and the third behind the fecond. All thefe different kinds have fquare holes in the fides or tops of the boxes, to allow the bees liberty to go from one box to another, as they may find neceffary; and there are infall panes of glafs fixed in them, in order to obferve the operations of the bees ; with wooden flutters to cover the glafs, when it is not intended to inflect the hive.
I have feen, in thofe favourable years when the bees had fwarmed very liberally, that the propriators have been greatly diftreffed for want of hives, to receive their fecond and fubfequent fwarms. But an experienced beemafter will never be at a lofs in fuch circumstances. If all his empty hives are filled, and if he intends to take honey in Autumn, he will find many other articles in which they will chearfully build and work ; fuch as any large jar, half barrel, tub, pot, or box of any kind, that is large enough. For the bees are not delicate in their choice of a habitation ; wintefs the well known inflance of Samson's dead lion.
**On the Natural Swarming of Bees.** **149**.
**lon. They will work in any place during Summer ; for although the manufacture of honey and honey combs is fo natural to them, that they can work at no other employment, yet the /_bo\(\rho\)_ in which they make them, is a matter of indifference to them, provided it is only large enough, and capable of excluding cold, rain and robbers. Even darknefs itelf is no difparagement, but rather renders their habitation more agreeable to them.**
**CH A P. XIX.**
**OF THE NATURAL &WARNING OF BEES.**
**As it would evidence a confiderable degree of folly to defer an old beaten path, for a new road, unlefs the latter were both nearer and better, fo I would by no means recommend artificial fwarming, if natural fwarms can be obtained. But even, in the latter cafe, many airfoil directions may be given, and shall be laid down in as plain a manner as pofible. We**150 _Of the Natural Swarming of Bees._
We shall likewise flow, how it is fometines e-qually neceffary and advantageous to make artificial fwarms, along with the manner of doing it to the left advantage, when it is neceffary.
As the time when a hive will throw a fwarm is quite uncertain, efpecially to young beginners in the bee-hufbandry, a confant attendance is neceffary in fwarming time, from eight o'clock in the morning till about three or four in the afternoon. But this may be done with little trouble or expence. A boy, or a girl, or any old perfon, may be employed to watch the bees during thefe hours ; and this needs only to be done in fine days, as the bees feldom fend out a colony in cold, damp, or ehilly weather.
Some hives will by out long before they fwarm, though they will fwarm at laft; others, although they lie out equally long, will not fwarm at all; a third clafs will fwarm without the final-left previous appearance ; and a fourth will make a buffle about their doors, for three or four days before they fwarm : And, therefore, from fuch a variety of chances, it is fcarce poffible to determine the precife time of fwarming; although we may reasonably conjecture, from
**Of the Natural Swarming of Bees.** 151**
**from the following fymptoms, that this wifhed**
**for period is approaching.**
**When the number of bees in a hive increa-**
**fes fafi, about the end of May and beginning**
**of June, and drones appear among them; if**
**a** **short time before this, water of an infipid**
**tafe appeared on the fool, about or within the entry; if this water, which is called** _fweat,_
**and is**'occafoned by the increa fcd heat of the hive, be dried up, by the fill greater increafe**
**of that heat, from the bees becoming more and more numerous; if the bees, about.** 11 o'clock, A. M. fly about in a reeling manner, making a**
**noife and motion about the front of the hive; all thefe are figns to put the Bee-mafter on his guard, and to prepare him for the joyful event that is fat approaching, of a young colony within a day or two, or even, perhaps, with-in an hour or two. But if the bees, after all this, run hafiily up and down the outfide of the hive,'and at laf gather together in a clufter upon the fool, he may call his friends together; to behold his increafing fore, as he may depend that they will fwarm immediate-ly:* and nothing can furely be more delightful**
**It is indeed furprizing, to fee the young colony leaving their**
**mother**
**Of the Natural Swarming of Bees.** 153
**ry, or attempting to fly away, which they they will fometimes do. If the former, he**
**should keep at a diftance till they fettle, as going near them might not only prevent them from fettling, but might alfo occasion the death of Rome of them, by trampling upon them.**
**As foon as they alight on any thing, that can**
**easily be brought to the ground, fuch as the**
**fall branch of a tree, or a berry buih, or the like, let a fleet be fpread on the ground near the fwarm, and two ficks placed upon it, a foot afunder. Then place the fwarm upon the fleet, between the fticks, and gently cover it with a**
**hive +, refing the edges of the hive upon the fticks, to prevent it from crufhing any of the bees ; who will thus have free air, and accefs to**
**and from the hive, which mult be covered with a cloth, to prevent the rays of the fun from fcorching the bees, and provoking them to rife and feek out a more comfortable habitation. If**
**their new lodging pleafes them, they will take**
**immediate**
**? Some advife to rub the hive, before it be placed over the fwarm, with a little honey, or fugar and ale mixed, in order to**
**allure the bees. This can do no harm, but I feldom adopt the practice, as I have feen little or no benefit from it; the Queen getting into the hive is the only alumement to excite the bees to go into it, and alfo to keep them there, when they are gone fafg. ly in.**
### 154 Of the Natural Swarming of Bees.
immediate poffeffion, and fall to work with alac-crity. Sometimes, after continuing two or three hours in it, and beginning to work, they will rife and fcttle on fome other place, or go back to their mother hive again; and fometimes they will fly off altogether, in fearch perhaps of a habitation previously fixed on. They muff therefore be carefully watched till the heat of the day be over, after which, it may be presumed, they will not rife again.
As foon as the young colony are fairly lodged in their new habitation, let the hive be placed on a fool, and carried with all due caution to the place where it is intended to fland \(\ddagger\); for the fooner the hive is fationed, the fooner the bees will be acquainted with its fination. A few fragglers, indeed, may fly about the place where the fleet was firit laid down; but they will foon either find out the fwarm, or return to their mother hive, either of which will be no lofs, When the hive is placed in its proper fation
\(\ddagger\) At all fefons, as foon as a fwarm is fairly fettled, both the faze of the fwarm and the fefon of the year fhould be taken into consideration. If the fwarm be pretty numerous, if the mother hive can bear the want of it, and if the fefon be not too far advanced, let it be put into a hive by itself. But directions will afterwards be given, how to act if any of the contrary circumstances occur.
156 Of the Natural Swarming of Beets.
had liberty fome days before fwarming, to roam about in search of a commodious habitation; which, if once they find, it is difficult, and often impofible, to prevent them from e-migrating to it. When the weather is very favourable, the bees often, before fwarming, fend'out fcounts in fearch of a proper habitation; and when they discover a hive whole bees are dead, or any empty place about the roof of a gentleman's houfe, or a church, caffe, or trunk of a tree; more efpecially, if bees have wrought combs in it the fummer before, but have died out of it in winter, they will fend out a fquadron of bees, three or four days before they fwarn, to clean out the place, and render it fit for the reception of the young colony, the firft favourable opportunity. At fuch places, I have often feen a confiderable number of bees, buffily employed in clearing away the dead bees, broken crumbs of wax, and all other rubbifh; and fometimes I have obferved bees from different hives, laying an equal claim to the newly discovered habitation, and, as mankind too often do in similar cafes, fighting and killing each other for the uninhabited territory; for, two fwarms have been feen fying
_Of the Natural Swarming of Beets._ **157**
**ing to fuch a place in one day, in which** **cafe**
**a bloody battle between them often becomes inevitable.**
**There have been many inflances of a fwarm of bees flying in a direct line to a dead hive, when 'it happened to be within their reach in a neighbouring-**apiary.**
**Such hives are often left standing by the owner, either from his not knowing that the bees are dead, or from his ignorance of the confequences. They are alfo frequently left by roguih bee-mafters, on purpofe to entice their neighbours fwarms; which is as villainous as** **fealing a fwarm, if not more fo. Mr Maxwell fays, there is a law againt suffering a dead hive to fland in an apiary. If there is, it is a very juit one, but if not, an act of parliament should be paffed againfuch a pernicious practice. Such caufes have been feveral times tried in courts of juftice, and fome judges have punified the trefpafs, which was certainly juit. But I lately heard of a caufe of this nature, which was tried before a judge, who affoilzied the aggref-for, upon this principle, that every man has a right to keep what he pleafes in his own garden. By this decision the judge evidenced his ignorance ; for, if fuch a precedent were once
**158**: _Of theNatural Swarming of Bees._
once eftablified as law, no perfon, who has a covetous bee-mafter in his neighbourhood, would be fure to lofe dome fwarms of his bees ; for, a dead hive, left fanding in an apiary during fummer, feldom fails to receive a fwarm before Lammas.
Many have been not a little difficulted how to determine, whether the old hive that the fwarm went into, had living bees in it or not, before that event took place. One eafy method of deciding this point, is, by infpecing it, to fee if there are live young in it; and another is, by the diftance from which the fwarm has come ; for, I know for certain, that a fwarm will not fly a mile to a living hive; whereas, they will fly four.miles to take poffefion of an old one with combs in it, whofe inhabitants aredead. Ihave, indeed, feen a fwarm go into a living hive, that flood in the fame apiary ; but this was rather accidental than otherwife. The Queen returning home in confuion, perhaps from a fruitlefs expedition, might miftake another hive for her own. In fuch cafes, a great battle frequently enfues, in which may are flain, and often the Queen among them. Sometimes I have feen them agree very well, and make a good colony, when the hive was properly_Of the Natural Swarming of Beet._ 159 properly raifed with a very large eek. At o-ther times, I have feen a fwarm, after joining another hive, being well received, and remaining in it very peaceably, come off, notwithstanding, the very next day.
When a fwarm emigrates, with a view to fette in fome habitation, which their fpies had previously discovered, they fly to the place in a direct line. The bee-mafter should, therefore, run or ride along with them, as far as he can; for on fuch occasions they fometimes fly fo flow, as a perfon who is fwift of foot may accompany them. But if he should be prevented from following them in a direct line, by any interruptions from woods, waters, or inclofures, let him, upon recovering the line, proceed straight forward, without turning to the right or left, and the chance is ten to one that he will discover them, efpecially if they happen to alight or refl upon any dike hedge, or brufh by the way. But fhould this not happen, upon proceeding full forward, the line will probably lead him to fome garden where there is an apiary; the owner of which fhould be told the cafe; and if he is an honest man, he will doubtlefs allow his hives to be fearched, in the preference of wit-neffs, to fee if the fwarm have taken up their abode.
160 _Of the Natural Swarming of Beets._
**abode in any of his dead hives.** This will eafily be difcovered by examining the entries of his hives, and if there are any f will in all probability arrive at another apiary, where the fame inquiries and mode of investigation should be repeated : Or if any hollow tree, church, gentleman's manfion-houfe, old ruin, or any other building, should happen to lie in the direct line, they should be infpected attentively, and proper inquiries made at the people in the neighbourhood, if they obferved a fwarm of bees flying or fettling on any of them. By thefe means perfevered in, a discovery will certainly be made ; and if the fwarm has fettled in any fuch place, the following directions will flow the method of taking them out in this and other cafes of a like nature. If a fwarm fettle in a hollow tree, or any cavity of a building, it will be impofible to get.it out by any other means, than taking them out by handfuls. Some indeed, alledge, that rapping will force them out ; but not one fwarm of twenty will yield to that method, unlefs the Queen can be laid hold of, and brought out. The owner should, therefore, make as much room as pofible, to get his hand introduced, fo as to pull them out by handfuls, and put them into an empty hive ; and as foon as he is fo fortunate as to get hold of the Queen, he should put her into the hive, where the will prevent the 163 Of the Natural Swarming of Beet, the bees from fraying ; and thofe that were still remaining in the building or hollow tree, will quickly come to the hive, and join the refl. In fuch cafes, I have searched whole hours for the Queen, who generally hides herlfelt with fuch much art, that it is extremely difficult to lay hold of her, although in fuch fearches I feldom failed to catch her at laf. But when the Queen cannot, by any means, be got, and when all or the greateft part of the fwarm is recovered, let the hole be clofe flut up, and a weak hive brought, and re-inforced with the common bees, (as directed page 142) which is the left ufa that can be made of them in fuch cafes.
Before bees fwarm the fecond or third time, they do not ly out in clufters about the hive or upon the ftool ; but as foon as they are ready, they come off in a body, even in weather that is by no means favourable. The figns, when thefe after fwarms will come off, are more certain than thofe that precede the firft fwarming ; for, if the weather be good, one may almost prognosticate the very hour. By liftening at night to the found of a hive, about eight ten, or twelve days, after the firft fwarm is gone off, that peculiar found, commonly called _tolling_, will be easily distinguished. This found fecms
_Of the Natural Swarming of Beer._ 163'
feems to be the royal proclamation ifued by the young princefs, to warn, or rather to invite her fellow emigrants to prepare for their intended journey. It founds, fays one, as if the words _peep! peep! peep!_ were rapidly pronounced fifteen or twenty times in half a minute. She then flops, and begins again repeatedly, like a chicken peeping forits mother, when it has loft her. When there are feveral young Queens in the hive, there will be fo many difincl voices repeating this call. I have fometines heard thefe princeffes calling from all corners of the hive; and, as it were, answering each other; fome calling out _peep_, _peep_, in a treble voice, and others answering in a voice rather more hoarfe, and comparatively like bafs*. When thefe founds are heard **X 2**
* Almost all authors agree, that thefe peculiar voices proceed from the young Queens _petitioning_ (fo to fpeak,) for _leave_to emigrate with a young fwarm. I have fometines thought, however, that this noife might alfo proceed from fear or rage being excited amongst them. I was led to entertain this opinion, by obferving their different fcreans one day, which made me fufpet that there were more than one Queen in the hive. And as I wished to have one or two of them to enable me to caufe fome out-laying hives fwarm, I drove all the bees out of that hive. One Queen went along with them; but I fill perceived other two Queens, befides three royal cells fealed up. I fill heard the ufual quick city of the Queen; and, upon attentively obferving their motions;
### 164 Of the Natural Swarming of Beets.
in the hive, the emigration of a fwarm may be depended upon, within a day or two at moft, if the weather holds tolerably good. The firth night that thefe founds are obfervable, they are low, and not very frequent, nor even the next day ; but, on the fecond night, they become louder and more frequent, in fo much that they may fometines be diffinquifhed at the diftance of fome yards from the hive. Next day, if the weather be favourable, a fwarm may be depended upon. " It is delightful, (fays Mr Thorley) to hear thofe peculiar and "mufical founds or notes, being an eight or " chord, which is truly harmonious." They are fcarcely ever heard before a firth fwarm goes off; I believe not once in sixty cafes. The reafon, I fuppofe, is, that they have in general, only one Queen reared to go off with the firth fwarm; and fometimes, when tempted by very fine weather, even the old Queen will go off with the firth colony, before the young
tions, I saw them going to the royal cells, and tear at them with great fury, fceaming and roaring fcemingly with great indignation :--a phenomenon, which I could only account for, upon the principle of their entertaining a jealoufy left their rivals in the cell should eome forward, and fland in competitition with them_Of the Natural Swarming of Bees._ 165 young princefs comes out of the royal cell. * Whereas, before the fecund or third emigration takes place, they will fometimes have two or three Queens, and as many royal cells, in their hive; one of which may be taken to fupply any hive that needs them.
Often have I feen a young Queen take an airing. For inflance, in Summer 1799, I had a hive that had no Queen in it, but a pregnant royal cell, which had been feen days fealed up; on which account, I expected that a Queen
The Queens are generally bred in fwarning time, as may be obferred by turning up a hive at that period, when the royal cells may be perceived on the edges or fides of the combs, although fometimes they hang from the middle. Thefe cells are of an oblong circular form, of confiderable thicknefs, and in appearance rather clumfy. One of them will weigh as much as four or five fcore of common cells. When half made, they are not unlike the lower part of an acorn, turned upfide down; they gradually lengthen, and, when finished and fealed up, are about an inch in length, and would refemble the end of one's little finger, if it wanted the nail. In fwarning time, there will fometimes be from one to fix of thefe royal cells ; though commonly there are not above two or three. They all hang perpendicularly, with their open ends pointing downwards to the flood. After the young Queens are hatched, thefe cells are fometimes removed by the bees, and fometimes allowed to remain; but I ne-ver faw an egg laid in an old cell to be a Queen; for the bees always build a new cell when they want a young Queen.
### 166 _Of the Natural Swarming of Beets._