BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
When the queen enters the upper apartment, the entire trapcan be detached, fastened to a rake or some other object, and placed among the flying bees. Of course, they will readily cluster about the cage, when they can be hiv!; but to keep an Alley trap attached to all hives that are likely to send out a swarm during the ensuing ten or twenty days would be rather expensive, both because of the cost of the trap itself, and because of the inconvenience to the label workers coming home. The same or very nearly equal results can be attained by clipping the queen's wing, at no expense whatever; and at the same time let the bees retain, up to the time of swarming, a free and unobstructed entrance. See Oriones.
\(SWARMING\)- _DEVICES VARIOUSLY_: _CONSTRUCTED_.
Every apiarist engaged in the production of honey should certainly have the wings of _all_ his queens clipped. He _can not afford not to_, unless he uses perforated zinc (see Diones). It is much more difficult to take care of swarms when queens are allowed to go with the swarm. But as there are people who dislike to " disfigure " or "mutilate " their queens, and as some swarms in any case will get out with a virgin queen, we
half or wholly completed, run the basket up to and around the cone of bees. An assistant, if present, gives the limb a jar, so as to disengage the bees into the basket. In case no one is ready to asist, a sliding movement will precipitate the cluster into the wire-cloth - cage, when it is quickly lowered. This operation, in passing down through the limbs, will usually catch the wire-cloth lid, and close it with a slan. In case it is not closed, the apiralist steps forward and does it himself. Half or two-thirds of the bees are generally confined. In all probability the queen is there also. As the bees can not get out, those still flying in the air will very readily cluster on the wire cloth, surrounding the majority of their companions inside. To make this more expeditions the tripod is adjusted and the cage suspended in the air, as shown in Fig. 2, right where the bees are flying thickest. In two or three minutes the remainder of the bees will be clustered on the outside. At this stage of the proceeding the apiralist comes forward, folds the two short legs against the pole, grasps it at its center of gravity (see Fig. 1), and walks off to the hive, which he has previously prepared. The wire fork is made of steel, and is light and springy. The walking of the apiarist has no tendency to jar the bees off the basket.
One of the special features of the Manum arrangement is that the basket can be adjusted to almost any position, all the way from two to ten feet off the ground. All that is necessary is to spread the tripod legs, each then into the ground, and leave them standing. In the mean time, unless the hive is already prepared, the apiralist has ample time to get it ready. After this he can return to the swarm just now clustered. Most of the devices require to be held until the cluster has settled. It is a tedious job to hold a pole at arms' length, with face upturned. If the swarm clusters very high, some other arrangement, perhaps, would be better than the Manum; but for low shrubbery it is just the thing. The other special feature of the device is, that, after you have gotten about half or two-thirds of the bees into the basket, they can not escape and seek their original point of attachment.
## the swarm-living hook
With most of the hiving-devices we have illustrated, what might be called a hiving-hook can be used to considerable advantage at times. It is simply an iron hook large enough to compass an ordinary limb on which swarms cluster, mounted on the end of a long pole, and resembling, somewhat, a shepherd's crook. One of the hiving-devices is passed beneath the swarm. This hook can be used to reach over, grasp the limb on which the swarm is clustered, and by one or two smart jerks jar the bees into the basket, bag, or box, as the case may be.
Swarms usually alight low, so the ordinary hiving-apparatus and tools previously described can reach them from the ground. But there are times when they will settle on pretty high limbs. It is then that a ladder is called into requisition. If it will not reach the swarm it can at least land the climber among the upper limbs, so that he can step from one limb to another, and finally reach the bees. But it is difficult to stand an ordinary ladder against a limb of a tree so that it will be secure for climbing, on account of the unevenness of the branches. A foreigner by the name of R. Strimpl, of Seltzschau, lohennia, sent us a drawing of a ladder that can be lodged--that is, the upper part of it--seurely on some limb above. The engraving illustrates its principle of application.
The two side feet, or forks, prevent the ladder from revolving, while it will be observed that the ladder terminates in a single pole, which may be very easily lodged in the fork of a limb, where a two-pronged ladder can not. The three prongs below the ladder are sharpened at the end, and securely pushed into the ground. The perfect lodgment of the other end in the croft of the limb makes the ladder a safe means of as cent. Aside from this it will be lighter. But it is more desirable to prevent swarms from going beyond our reach--it least clustering on elevated limbs.
How to get a swarm from an insect-side limb.
Sometimes a swarm will alight upon a limb beyond the reach of any ladder. Possibly, also, the limb upon which the bees are clustered is so far out from the body of the tree that it would not sustain the weight of any one climbing after them. Such a swarm can usually be reached in the following manner: Secure a ball of good strong twine, and the end of it a stone about as large as the single fist. If you are not a good throw yourself, get some boy who is a good ball-player to perform the throwing act. Uneoil a considerable quantity of the line, then throw the stone into a crotch if one is near the swarm. If you are lucky enough to land the stone in the right place, right in the crotch, draw gently on the line until the stone catches in the fork of the crotch. Give one quick jerk to dislodge the bees and after that keep the limb in a tremble until the bees cluster on some other spot which they will do presently if the limb is kept agitated for five or ten minutes. They may cluster higher up, but the probabilities are they will seek some other spot more accessible.
If there is no convenient crotch at the right point, throw the stone so it will pass over the limb, taking about one foot of line: then give the string a good jerk, causing the stone with the line to whirl around the limb a couple of times. If you do not succeed in doing this the first time or two, a second or third attempt may be successful. It is not a very difficult trick; but the main thing is to get the line attached to the limb at some point near the swarm. Then the rest is easy.
spray-pump for controlling swarms while in the air.
One of the most useful implements in the apiary during the swarming-time is a good hand force-pump. A swarm of bees in the air with a queen that might otherwise circle about for fifteen or twenty minutes, can usually be made to cluster in from two to five minutes by its use. Whether the fine particles of water dampen the wings, and so impede their flight, or cause the bees to think it is raining, and that therefore they had better cluster at once, or both, we can not say; but certainly the spray has a very decided effect. One who becomes moderately expert will be able not only to make the bees settle but to _compel_ them to cluster on some point easily accessible to any of the ordinary living-devices just described.
easonally a swarm will make for the top of a tall tree. With the pump we head them off, causing them to settle on a lower branch. Even when a swarm is clustered twenty or thirty feet from the ground, by adjusting the stream nozzle and letting it play directly on the swarm itself, we can, many times, dislodge them, causing them to take wing and finally settle again upon a lower point of attachment. Again, several swarms will come out simultaneously, and two or more attempt to cluster together. By the timely use of the spray, each swarm can be kept separate by dampening the wings of the stragglers of the two swarms about to come together. A good many times a swarm that is about to abscond can be headed off and made to cluster; in fact, our boys, during the summer of 1889, would drive a swarm about like a flock of sheep. It is very annoying and inconvenient to have a swarm pass from our premises over to those of a neighbor. During the summer of 1889 we had something like eight or ten swarms come out every day for nearly a week, and yet in only one or two cases did they leave the immediate vicinity of the apary; and had it not been for the pump, we should, in all probability, have had to chase all over the neighborhood, to say nothing about climbing tall trees.*
Footnote *: We didn't then clip the wings of our quecons as we now do, hence that chasing is dispensed with.
After a swarm begins to cluster on a desirable spot, stop spraying in that direction. Retreat, and drive the stragglers toward it, but be careful not to spray the place where they are clustering. As a general rule, two or three small clusters will be forming at once. spray the undesirable ones, and keep them sprayed until these points of attachment are abandoned.
During the swarming-season it is a good idea to keep several barrels of water in and around the immediate vicinity of the apary, so as to have the same handy. If you must run to the pump every time you need a pair of water, the swarm may get away from you, or cluster in the top of a tall tree.
swarm-catcher.
This is simply a large wire-cloth cage, in the shape of an oblong box, about three or four feet high, by 12 or 15 inches square, one end being open, and made to fit against an ordinary hive-front.
It very often happens that the apirist is on hand just at the time the swarm pours out the entrance like hot shot. Well, with one of these swarm-catches handy he simply attaches the mouth to the entrance, and the outpouring bees fly well-mell into the top of the cage, and are there confined. When the apirist succeeds in catching two-thirds of the bees, the rest will cluster on the outside. Then the cage is set very near where the bees come forth, mouth end down. Meanwhile he prepares his hive, if he has not already done so, and then brings the cage of bees and dumps them right into the hive, replaces the cover, and the swarm is lived without having had any swarm in the air--no, not even giving them a ghost of a chance to fly all over the neighborhood.
and possibly finally alight upon the limb of a tree 40 feet from the ground. But it should be borne in mind that the swarm-catcher is serviceable only when the apirist happens to be on the ground just as the bees are beginning to pour forth.
We consider a large cage that comes down over the whole hive much better than something adjusted to the entrance, as shown above. The one shown in the half-tone, page 386, is more quickly applied, because it can be clapped down over the hive and stop proceedings instanter. As soon as the bees are all out, lift up the cage gently, and carry it to the hive where you propose to dump the swarm. Hold the cage squarely over the prepared hive with its cover off, and give it one quick bounce. This will dislodge the bees so that most of them will land in and around the hive. As soon as they have settled, remove the cage and put on the cover.
tile automatic hiving of swarms.
For many years back there has been an effort on the part of bee-keepers of an inventive turn of mind to get up an arrangement that would automatically hive swarmsin the absence of an apjarist or attendant; and since out-apiaries have begun to assume such importance where the production of honey is carried on extensively, some sort of device that will hive automatically the swarms--yes, do the work just as well as if the apjarist were present himself is some thing greatly to be desired. A great many devices have been introduced; but most of them have been proven to be more or less a failure.
The general plan contemplutes some scheme having an empty hive placed near the colony expected to swarm. This empty hive may be alongside, in front, or below the other one. In the case of the first-men-passes this; but, being unable to return, is compelled to enter the entrance-guard of the new hive. Upon discovering that the queen is not with them, the bees \(\,\)tush back to the old stand; a part of them find the queen in front of the new hive, enter with the queen and "set up house-keeping." But the plan fails, because the majority fail to find her, and re-enter the parent colony. See page 423.
We have tried these plans to some extent, but, taking every thing into due consideration, consider it cheaper and more practic-able to hive the swarm on the clipped-wing plan, or, better, practice brushed-swarming, as described further on.
how to hive swarms without special devices.
If the apjar is located in a locality where there are no tall trees, but only low-growing shrubbery, or, at most, dwarf fruit-trees, or, better still, if the wings of all queens are clipped, the special tools we have already described will not be found absolutely necessary, and perhaps not even a convenience, if we except Mannm's arrangement. Our own apjar, illustrated in connection with some of the factory engravings shown in the picture-gallery at the close of this work, you will notice contained no tres. Out-skirting it are rows of bushy evergreens furnishing absolutely the only place for the bees to cluster in the immediate vicinity of the apjar besides gnepvines in the apjar itself. Rarely do we have swarms clustering elsewhere. When a swarm alights on one of the two places just mentioned we select a frame of unsealed larvae, the use of which has been \(\,\)t previously anticipated. As the swarm is but rarely more than four or five feet from the ground, this frame is gently thrust among the bees. A large majority of them will very soon lodge upon the frame. This together with the adhering bees is placed in a hive on the shady side of the evergreen or grapevine, in company with three or four more frames. Those bees which have already clustered on the frames will begin to call their companions; and as soon as a few bees find the entrance, they announce their discovery by the usual humming of the wings. Put an emul sheet over the hive, and brush the bees out of the way with a bunch of grass so the cover can be shut down without killing any. The hive is then left until the bees have all entered,then they are removed to their permanent location in the apjar before they have had time to fix a location.
You will scarcely appreciate the absence of large trees and the presence of small undergrowth until you have had an apiary so circumstances whereby swarming has not half the terrors to the bee-keeper as where the clusters are just as likely as not to attach themselves to high positions.
The method we have just described applies when the queen's wings are not clipped, either because we do not wish to mutlate her fair proportions or because she happens to be young. Visely, a great many apiarists prefer to clip their queens' wings. Perhaps we might say a majority do so, because it saves the use of expensive tools, tree-climbing, and, to a great extent, prevents swarms uniting.
how to bring home a swarm a mile or so from the apiary.
A swarm will sometimes escape and be traced a mile or so from the bee-yard. At other times a farmer will report that a swarm of bees is hanging to one of his trees, and that, if the bee-man will come and hive them, he can have them. A good swarm is always worth going after; but how shall it be brought back with the least expenditure of time when bees are _s_warming at home? At our apiary we have been in the hailt of sending one of our yard-men on a bicycle, equipped with a burlap sack, a pair of pruning-shears and a smoker, these latter fastened to the rider. The bicycle enables him to make a "quick trip, and on arrival the bag is quietly slipped around the cluster of bees, if attached to a limb of a tree, and tied. The pruning-shears cut the limb, when bag and all is slung over the handle-bars, or carried in one hand while the other guides the machine home.
### Pulsar swarms uniting.
When the swarming-note is heard in the apiary it seems to carry with it an infecution ; this may be a mistake, but in no other way can we account for swarms issuing one after another while the first is in the air, unless they hear the sound and hasten to go and do likewise. Of course, they will all unite in one, and as many as a dozen have been known to come out in this way and go off to the woods in a great army of bees before any thing could be done to stop them. If your queens are clipped, and you "' hustleswarming.
Sometimes go to work; but more often swarm out again within a few hours, or the next day. If you keep putting them back they will soon attack and kill their queen, then "old" about until they can rear a new one and swarm again. This is very poor policy, and we can by no means afford to have such work. If they swarmed for want of room, they may go to work all right, after having room given them. If they come out the second time, we should give them a new location, divide then, or do something to satisfy their natural craving for starting a new colony, otherwise they may loaf, even if they do not try to swarm again.
To go back : Suppose they get a queen or queens having wings, and cluster in one large body. In this case you should scoop off bees from the cluster with the swarming-bag, a tin pan, or a dipper, as may be most convenient, and apportion parts, made about as nearly of the size of a swarm as may be, about in different hives. Give each hive a comb containing eggs and larvae as before, and then get a queen for each one if you can. In dividing them up, should you get two or more queens in a hive they will be balled as we have before described, and you can thus easily find them. Where more than one queen is in a hive, you will find a ball of bees, perhaps the size of a walnut or hen's egg, about them, and this can be carried to the colony having none. When you can not tell at once which are queensless, you will be able to do so in a few hours by the queen-cells they have started. If you are more anxious for honey than bees, you may allow two swarms to work together; and if given sufficient room you will probably get a large crop of honey from them; but this plan does not pay, as a general thing, because the extra bees will soon die off by old age, and your colony remains no larger than where the queen retains only her ordinary number of bees.
_PREVENTION OF SWARMING._
If we can entirely prevent swarming, and keep the bees at home storing honey all the season, we sometimes get large crops from a single hive. Whether we shall get more in that way than from the old stock and all the increase, where swarming and after-swarming is allowed, is a matter as yet hardly decided. Should a swarm come out in May, and the young queens get to laying in their hives by the first of June, their workers would be ready for the basswood-bloom in July, and it is very likely that the workers from three queens would gather more honey than those from the old queen alone. But another point is to be considered. The two or three new colonies must have stores for winter; and as it takes nearly 25 lbs. to carry a colony through until honey comes again, this amount would be saved by the prevention of swarming. Where one has plenty of bees, and desires honey rather than increase, a non-swarming apiary becomes quite desirable.
This subject is a mooted one, and some of our best and most experienced bee-keepers confess they have been baffled in their efforts to confine swarming within reasonable limits. Usually it is not desirable to prevent first : swarms. Second swarms or after-swarms are the ones we should _like_ to control. Some prominent bee-keepers practice cutting out all queen-cells but one eight days after the issue of the first swarm ; that is, they allow all the unsealed larvae to become capped over, leaving no opportunity for further building of cells. If only one cell is left in the hive, of course only one queen can be batched and reared. If she is successfully fertilized the colony will generally settle down to business. Excessive swarming is often induced by a number of young queens being allowed to mature about the same time. These unfertile queens will be pretty apt to keep up swarming in the hive so long as there is a surplus of queens. See After-swarms.
prevention of swarming by caging or removing the queen.
Hetherington, Elwood, and some others, have practiced caging or removing the queen during the honey harvest. Of course, no swarm will issue regularly where no queen is in the hive; and if no cells are allowed to hatch, prevention is accomplished. When the harvest has commenced, before giving the bees a chance to swarm, the queen is caged in the hive, or, perhaps, preferably given to a nucleus. If queen-cells are not already started they certainly will be on removal of the queen; and if the queen is caged they will just as certainly be started in a short time. In any case they must be cut out before there is any danger of the queen hatching. If all the cells are destroyed at the time of removing the queen, then a second time, eight days later, and a third time eight days later still, there will be no possibility of any swarming. The advocates of this plan claim that the bees that could be raised from eggs laid during the time the
## Swarming
queen is eaged or removed would be too late for service in gathering the harvest, hence only consumers.
On the other hand, there are those who question whether the bees work just as industriously without a laying queen in the live. One difficulty about the plan is, that it is almost impossible to be sure that no queen-cell has been missed to give rise to very undesirable complications.
giving plenty of room and running for extracted honey.
Many times bees will swarm because the apartment for brood-rearing is limited. Contraction and the queen-excluding honey-board give the queen only a limited amount of room, with swarming as the consequence. For this reason it is desirable not to reduce the brood-chamber too much. But whether contraction is practiced or not, the fever may be greatly allayed, and perhaps prevented altogether, by giving an abundance of surplus room on the plan of tiering up. Do not let the colony at any time feel crowded for space. Judicious tiering up, as described under Como Honey, will not only secure more honey, but it will largely discourage natural increase when not desired. When running for extracted honey the problem is much easier. Mr. N. E. France, of Platteville, Wis., who produces enormous crops of honey, says he is troubled very little by excessive swarming. He does not practice contraction, but allows the queen and bees plenty of room. If the queen desires to go above, she is allowed that privilege. Charles Dadant & Son keep about 500 colonies in large Quinby hives. These hives being so large, the bees are but little inclined to swarm. In fact, Mr. Dadant says, in the _American Bee Journal_, page 311, Vol. XXV.. "For more than fifteen years we have dispensed with watching the bees of our home apjary, numbering from 80 to 100 colonies. As the yearly number of natural swarms does not exceed two or three, the expense of such watching would be far above the profit." While large hives filled with combs or foundation tend to prevent if not discourage swarming altogether, for other reasons other bee-keepers seem to prefer smaller sizes, such as the Langstroth. See Dadant hive, under Hives.
The question of swarming by the shake-out or brushed- swarm plan.