BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
Queen would foon emerge out of the cell. And, as I was anxious to fee what appearance the made the moment of her birth, I turned up the hive every hour, and luckily hit the time that the was opening the cell for herfelf, when I faw her come out of it, and creep a-bout pretty well. Two days thereafter, I faw her come to the entry of the hive, and fly off and take an airing. She returned within a-bout ten minutes thereafter, and went back in-to the hive, where the bees received her with joy. I have alfo feen many other young Queens do the fame on the fecond or third day of their age. Perhaps old ones may do f too; but I think this happens very feldom, as they are large and heavy, and confequently may be afraid to truft themfelves to their wings. No doubt, the old Queens can fly when they pleafe, although, like many old people, they are not very fond of much travel.
It will fometimes happen, in an apiary where there is a confiderable number of bee-hives, that two fwarms will go together in the time of fwarming, when they chance to come out of their mother hives nearly about the fame time. When one fwarm is nearly fettled on a bulfh, hedge, or any other place, and another begins
**Of the Natural Swarming of Bees.** **167**
**to come off from the mother hive, the mufic of the former invites the latter to join them. In**
**fuch circumstances, therefore, the moft effectual, method to prevent the junction of the two fwarms, is to cover the firft fwarm completely with a large fleet, which will prevent the other fwarm from hearing their melody. But if the firth fwarm be got into a hive, or nearly all entered, it should be carried into a houfe, and kept there for dome little time, till the fecond fwarm be fairly fetted somewhere ; after which the hive fhold be brought back to its former.**
**fuation. But when both fwarms are finally, or but of a medium fize, if they unite voluntarily and peaceably together, as they generally do in fuch cafes, their junction will be rather an advantage than a lofs : For it is certain, that 16,000 bees in one hive will collect more honey and wax than the fame number of bees lodged in two different hives could pofibly do*.**
**Chap.**
**This can be easily accounted for, In every hive there is a certain number of bees appointed to hatch the young, and to defend the hive from robbers, 8c. Now, fuppofing that each hive requires 2,000 bees to be daily occupied in thefle employments, then it follows, that 16,000 bees, lodged in two different hives, muff devote 4,000 of their number to thefle objchs, and leave**
CHAP. XXI.
.Of THE ARTIFICIAL SWARMING OF BEES.
Although, in most cafes, bees are left directed by natural infintent, and on that account
leave only 12,000 at work in both hives, whereas, the fame number of bees in owi hive, requiring only 2,000 to be devoted to thefe employments, will allow 14,000 to be confantly employed in the fields, and of courfe one fecund part more honey and wax may be produced in the courfe of the feafon. There are alfo o-ther advantages arising from fuch a juncion of famil fwarms: They require, for infintance, only one place in the garden; being more in number; they afford more heat to bring forward the young, and.they are more able to defend the hive from robbers, 8c. 8c.
And here it may be both ufeful and entertaining, to take no-tice of the various weights and numbers of different fwarms. " It
" has been found, (fays BUTLE,) that a larger number than
" 40 or 50,000 will not thrive together in one hive. Swarms
" often amount to 30,000; a large fwarn may weigh eight
" pounds, and gradually lcfs to one pound; consequently a
" very good one weighs five or fix pounds, a moderate one
" four pounds. No fwarms lefs than this should be kept, but
" united with others." If we consider that about gooo bees weigh a pound, a fwarn weighing four pounds, will have near about 20,000 bees, which will, compofe a very good fwarn. But I am of opinion, that a fwarn, confining of 15,000 bees, will do very well in a fingle hive, if the feafon is not too far advanced; and, indeed, the more numerous the fwarn is, fo much the better. I myself have had above 30,000 bees in one fwarm.
170 _Of the Artificial Swarming of Beis._
be almost certain of ruining fome hives in their firft attempts, But, by carefully obderving the following directions, the moft inexperienced bee-mafter may foon come to the practical knowledge of the art, and thereby avoid fuch blunders as would prove defructive to his bees.
Case I, Sometimes, when two fwarms meet, a dreadful battle enfues, on account of there being two Queens among them, Each party fegems determined to defend their own Queen and mother at the rifle of their lives. Their fury generally lafts till one of the Queens is flain, after which a peace commonly takes place, and the two bands unite harmoniously in one community*,
In thefe conflicts, it is aftonifing to fee what dreadful havock they make in a very fhort time. In my younger years, I have feen above 1000 of thefe brave winged foldiers lying weltering in their gore, within the fpace of ten minutes. The Queen of one or both fwarms is often feized infantancoufly, and murdered. On fuch occasions, I have feen above an hundred bees, all wrapt together in a clutter, of the fize of a famil apple, and f firmly compacted together around the body of a Queen, that it was with the utmof difficulty I could feparate them from her, Moft writers are of opinion, that the bees, which thus clutter around a Queen, are her enemies, and that their being fologically gompacted together about her proceeds from the keen enmity of _Of the Artificial Swarming of Beet._ 171
But, if they do not unite in a friendly manner, there is not a moment: to be loft. The
hive muff be infantly turned up, and the bees
driven into four or five different hives. Every
clutter of them muff be fearched for the
Queen, who, when caught, muff be fearathed from all the other bees, whether friends or
foes, as, at fuch a time, it is impofible to dif
tinguih the one from the other. And, while
the is kept clofe prisoner, the bees may be
frightened from farther fighting; and even
gradually pacified, by rapping on the hives,
and thus driven out of one hive into another.
If this attempt does not succeed to bring the
bees to a good undertanding with each other,
cold water may be fprinkled on them in the
hives to cool their coverage; or they may be
taken into a room, as directed, page 142, and
when, by their being thus toffed and tumbled
about, (all due care being taken, however, not
**Y 2**
of each to be firth at her with his dagger. It is, indeed, beyond
a doubt, that Queens are often f surrounded in this manner by
their enemies, who frequently kill them very quickly. But I
am of opinion, that they are often likewise encompaffed by their
friends in a similar manner, whole loyal zeal for their fovereig
mother l:ads them thus to form an impregnable.phalanx around
her with their bodies, to protect her perfon from the rage of hef
moff invetgrate foss.
172_Of the Artificial Swarming of Bees._ to hurt them) their fpirits are brought low, they may be put into two different hives, and a Queen offered to each. To try their temper, however, a fpecimen of the bees may be fifth introduced to the Queen, and if they treat her with mildnefs, fle may then be introduced to the whole fwarm. But, if they appear to be still in bad humour, the Queen fhold be kept back till they become more pacific, which they will quickly do ; for as foon as they get leiff e to think, they will mifs their Queen, and make all poffible enquiry after her, running up and down the hive with the utmof importance and anxiety, in fearch of their forevering mother ; and, when they cannot differ over her any where, they will conclude that the has perfihed during the tumult, and not of them will creep out of the hive in defpair, and crawl about on the ground till they die ; their cafe being quite deferate, as they have not an egg to raife another Queen from. Some will perhaps attempt to fly home, hoping to find their mother there ; and others will try if they can gain admittance into any other hive. This is the critical moment to prefent a Queen to them. As foon as a few of them discover her, they will furtound her with the greatef
Of the artificial Swarming of Bets.** 173
**pleafure, and fing aloud for joy.**. The reft, hearing the joyful news, will all crowd around her, and be ready to fufocate her in their extacy. She flould then be placed on the fool, as in other cafes ; but if, during the conflict, one or both Queens have been killed, the bees may either be reftored to their original hives, or put into any others where they flall be moft favourably received.**
In this laft fpring, (1795,) having two hives, that had but few bees in each, I put the bees of the one hive into the other ; fufpecting, that as they had both bred flowly, there might be a defect in the health of one or both of their Queens ; and hoping that, by putting them together, the bees would probably hold a confultation, which of the two Queens was moft healthy, and, after electing her, kill or banifh the other, as they thought proper. The common bees of both hives at once united kindly and feened happy ; but, upon turning up the hive within 20 minutes after, to fee if all was well, I perceived a few bees cluttered together, which, however, did not greatly furprife me, as I thought the conjoined republics had already decided, which Queen flould remain in the hive, and that thefe bees were leading the rejected
### 174 Of the Artificial Swarming of Beer.
rejected Queen to exile or execution. But, u-pon a more clofe infpetion, I obferred the two Queens fruggling together with the utmoft fury, and darting the moft deadly blows at each other. Being afraid of loring both, and thereby ruining the united hive, by their mutually killing each other, which mutl have been the cafe, had one of them thruft her fting into the other's body and left it, as sometimes happens, though rarely *, among the common bees in fuch conflicts, I deparated them, and kept them afunder, though they fill ran with great fury in fearch of each other along the table 1. I then took
Infaces of this do not happen above once, perhaps, in fifty times; although the faf is certain, that they fometines kill themselves, by leaving their flags in the bodies of their opponents.
The above-mentioned battle, between the two Queen Bces, reminded me, at the time, of theo fines in the old fong of Chevy-Chace; where the brave Douglas is reprefented as faying,
But truth me, Pierce, pity it were,
And great offence to kill
Any of:thef, our harmlefs men,
For they have done no ill.
Let you and I, the battle try,
And fet our men aide,"
Then c--ft be he, (quoth Earl Pierst,)
By whom it is denied.".
176 _Of the Artificial Swarming of Beers._
fwarm large enough, and then the swarm should be removed to about a mile ditance, to prevent the bees from going back to the old flock again.*
Case III. When a perfon has a final fwarm, whether it be a firit, fecond or third one, and at the fame time a lying-out hive, that has been long in fwarming, he should drive all, the bees out of the lying-out hive, into an empty one, (fee the method, page 138) and fet down the bees in the fame fpot where they flood formerly, which will make a fine large artificial swarm, as fuch a hive would have abundance of bees ; after which, let the fsmall fwarm be put into the old hive, where they will hatch out all the young, and make a good hive ; and let the old hive be placed on the fame fpot where the fsmall fwarm flood.
When bees come naturally off in a fwarm, they take a view of the place where they fettle, and never think of going back to their mother hive ; but, when they are feparated from their mother hive by driving, or when the hive is shifted from where it formerly flood, they are infenfible of the change of their fituation, and always fly back to their former ftation; for which reason, the bee-mafter fhould always remove every artificial fwarm, or re-inforced hive, to fome confiderable diflance, other- wife a number of the bees will go back again.
_Of the Artificial Swarming of Bees._ **179**
Case IV. If there are two f 178_Of the Artificial Swarming of Bees._ were in their original hive. It will be neceffa-ry, however, in this operation, to remove the original hive to another apiary, (See p. 176.)
Case VI. When one has a hive that has long lien out, and fill flows no appearance of fwarm, ing, if a fwarm is wifhed for, all the bees may be driven out, as directed, page 138. A fwarm may thus be obtained, which, if the weather anfwers, will not fail to succeed. The old hive may be placed below fome other hive, the bees whereof will hatch out the young bees, and in autumn the honey may be taken out of it, and all the bees put into the upper hive.
Case VII. I have often formerly taken all the bees out of a hive to make an artificial fwarm, and put into it a confiderable number of common bees, in order to hatch out the young brood in the combs, build a royal cell, and rear a Queen for themselves. This practice I found in general anfwered very well, as the bees hardly ever failed to rear a Queen. The only objection againft it aries from this confideration, that from the time the old Queen is taken away, till the young one is fit to lay eggs, a period of twenty five days elapfes, during which time there is not a single egg laid in the hive. And when it is farther considered, that there
Of the Artificial Swarming of Beers.** **179**
**mut** be an additional lofs of other 48 days, before the eggs can be bees for any ufe, it is evident, that the beft part of the honey feafon will be over, and confequently that by autumn, the hive will be greatly deficient in bees. For thefeefons I have now almoff entirely given up the practice, though I have fomettimes had hives that propered very well under it. And, indeed, if I intended to kill a hive of bees in autumn, I would rather prefer the taking away their Queen from them about the end of July, and leaving a great number of common bees in the hive, which, as they would have few bees to nurte up, would collect a greater quantity of honey in that period, than if they had a Queen in the hive daily laying eggs for them, which would employ a good number of the bees, both to hatch and nurte up the young, and the re-by, the fewer would be employed in collecting honey.
Case VIII. If a swarm should come off, which the mother hive cannot afford to want without great injury, it ought to be returned again into the old hive, in this manner : Take the Queen from the new fwarm and confine her in a box ; and then turn up the hive containing the new fwarm, and place it before the entry of the old Z 2 frock
**18e** _Of the Killing of Drones._
**flock which the bees came from, in fuch a manner that the bees in it may run from it**into the entry of the old hive again; which they will foon cheerfully do,** _especially as their Queen was taken from them. This operation is fo eafy that it may almoft be performed by a child.**
**Case IX. When the fummer is far advanced, and it may be rather late for fwarming, an eck, placed below aftong hive, will give the bees more room to work, and may prevent a late fwarm from coming off, which, in general, turns out more lofs than advantage to the Beemafter.**
**C H A P. XXII.**
**of THE KILLING OF DRONES.**
**It is a good fign that a hive is thriving, and a certain proof that there is a Queen in it, when the working bees kill their drones early: for in thofe hives that have loft their Queen, the bees become fo carelefs both about their honey and**
**Of the Killing of Drone.** **181**
**and their hive, that they permit the drones to live till November or December. And perhaps there is no** **f****m****fall wisdom in this, for the bees, knowing that they cannot breed any more, are probably fengible, that they will gain more by the additional heat of the drones preferring them from the feverity of the winter, than they will lofe by the expence of maintaining them; and confequently lengthen out their own lives, as well as thofe of the drones.**
**This leads me to think, that the drones are not fo** **f****hort-lived as is generally believed. If the working bees did not kill them in the end of fummer and beginning of harvelt, but left them to die of old age, they might perhaps live in a good warm hive till fpring. The bees feldom begin to kill the drones, till the honey felzon be nearly over. When, therefore, the maffacre of the drones begins, one may know that, in general, the honey is becoming rather fcarce in their neighbourhood; although it is not an infallible fign ; for the bees of Rome hives kill their drones fooner than thofe of others, fanding in the fame apiary. In hives ftiuated near early pafures, when the flowers are mostly gone, the bees will kill their drones in the end of July. In later fituations, they are permited to live182 _Of the Killing of Droner._
live till Auguf. During this 1afi autumn, (1794,) I saw many excellent thriving hives, fituated among good heath, whofe drones were not extirpated till about the end of September.
As the working bees, when the flowers become fcarce, kill the drones, and thus fhow us plainly, that they are now become ufelefs in the hive ; fo I agree with almoft every writer on this fubject, that it is proper to affit the bees in exirpating them. The manner in which the working bees kill the drones is this. They not only fting them, but pull and bite them with their teeth. It is incredible what havock they will make of them in a single day, as I have often been convinced, by observing great numbers of them lying dead before the door of the hive \(\ddagger\). They alfo fomenes
\(\ddagger\) When the bees once fall a-killing the drones, it is amazing to fee how intent they are on the bufines,--They not only difpatch the old ones, but they alfo tear out and defroy the young drone-maggots in the cells,--especially in bad weather. I have indeed feen them, even before fwarning time, when it had been wet weather for five or fix days, become fo difconfolate, fo difcouraged, and even defperate, (thinking, perhaps, that the weather would never mend,) that they threw out, before the entry of their hive, fome fcores of white young drones; but, on the return of fair weather,--inflead of tearing out and killing the remainder of this unfortunate race, the Queen inme-diately_Of the Killing of Drones._ **183**
times kill them in a more tedious and lingering, but no lefs effectual way, by banihing them from their granaries of honey; upon. which the drones retreat in great numbers to the flood and the under edges of the hive; and fometimes, though rarely, I have even feen them come to the outfide of the hive, in finally clufters. When thus exiled, they foon become very dull and lifelefs, and at laft die for want of food. Upon lifting up a hive from the ftool, I have obferved numbers of them fitting clofe upon it, with hardly three or four common bees among them, and on fuch occasions I have trade to death forty, or more of them, at once, with my foot. But, without lifting the hive,
diately laid fresh eggs, in the drone cells, and the common bees again carefully reared them up to maturity. Whenever, therefore, the young drones are torn out of their cells before fwarming time, in bad weather, the bees ought immediately to be fed, which will prevent them from defpairing, and fave the lives of the young drones. It is alfo necffary to mention, that if the weather be bad for two or three days, after a new fwarm is introduced into an empty hive, the bees should be fed and encouraged by a little honey; as, in fuch cafes, I have frequently feen them, when long confined, not only foon dicouraged, but fome of them die; where- as, by being carefully fed, they are not only kept in good fpirits, but will, with greater chearfulness, embrace the firth favorable moment for refuming their labours.
**iSS4**: _Of the Killing of Drones._
hive, any perfon may eafily affit the working
bees to kill the drones, (as foon as the bees flow
us the example), by fitting down at the fide
of the hive the firit good day thereafter, about
eleven o'clock, and crufhing them one by one,
as they come out of the hive, by prefling them
to the ftool with his fore finger. In this manner, an hundred drones may be killed in a very
fhort time. I generally kill the moft of the
drones in my hives when I have leifure;
although there is no abfolute neceffity for doing it, as the working bees will perform the
talk themselves in due time. But it certainly
occafions a confiderable faving of honey, and
**I am** inclined to think, that no harm can
arife from it, especially in thofe hives
whofe
honey is to be taken in Autumni. However,
when there are very few drones in a hive I kill
none of them ; but when they are very numerous, I often kill
fone hundreds ; at leaft two
thirds of them, and leave the working bees to
kill the reft at their leifure.
**CH A P.**
**C H A P. XXIII.**
**ADVANTAGES OF CHANGING THE situation of BE-HIVES**
**TO BETTER PASTURE.**
**About Lammas, thofe who live in fituations where the vegetation is early over, especially if poffeffed of a large number of hives, ought to remove their bees to the neighbourhood of heath grounds, if they should even be fix or eight miles diftant, and allow them to continue in that fituation till the heath gives over bloffoming. This meafure 1 would earn-effly recommend, as the bees, after having had all the advantage of their early fituations, will work as late in the feafon, as thofe in the lateft fituations. I have often feen a hive, by being placed nigh heath, become ten, twelve, or fifteen pounds heavier, in the month of Au-guff;+ whereas, if it had remained in its ori-A a**
**I can afure my readers, that, in the middle of September**
**1792, I have feen bees in fuch fituations, filling their hives with combs and honey, as pleinfully and as expeditifully, as**
**1.**186 _Advances of changing the Situation of Bect._
ginal early f _Advantages of changing the Situation of Beet._ 187 to get out, I place a feeding comb before their entry, which.I at the fame time open, and the bees come out in great numbers, and fly about with great alacrity, making their ufual chearful mufe in the air, for two or three minutes, and taking a view of their new ftiuation. In the mean time, fome of them difcover the feeding comb, and entertain themselves with it, while the flying bees alight at the entry, and make their ufual mufe for joy; which invites the ftraggling bees to return home, fo that, perhaps, fcarce a fingle bee of the whole hive will have miffed its way; whereas, if they are allowed to go out fingly, effpecially in cold weather, a confiderable number of bees will be loft, for want of fuch mufe in the air, or at the entry of the hive, to call them home. In the _g_emoval of bees in general, it is better and fafer, to remove a hive to the diflance of a mile or fo, than to a nearer ftiuation; for, when a hive is removed out of an apiary, where there are a confiderable number of hives, to the diftance of about a quarter of a mile or fo; and eficially, if the bees are allowed to come gradually out of their hives, they will fly to their old place of abode; but not finding their own hive, they will fly about in fearch of it, in a difconfolate
**Of Bee-bread and Wax.** **r89**
the bees prisoners for fome time, as above-mentioned, efpecially if the hives in the original appiaries be flut or covered over, till the bees of the removed one fly about for an hour or fo. Thus, the lofs will be the lofs, as perhaps fome of the ftraggling bees may find their way back to their own brethren again. But even although an hundred, or two hundred bees flould fly off in this manner, a ftrag hive will fuffer little by the want of them.
**CHAP. XXIV.**
**OF BEE-BREAD AND WAX.**
**The** **fubtance, commonly called Bee-bread, is to be found at the bottom of many of the cells, and is frequently covered, over with honey. The bees carry it home in loads upon their legs, or rather their thighs. It is generally of a yellow colour, but often takes its colour from the flowers from which it is collected,**
**Various**