The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-05-30
How to Hive q Swarm Of Bees.


The season of swarming Is fast advancing
upon us, and the next bright day. perhaps, the
bees will he rushing out TO migrate to II new
colony. If you have hOx hives aud black bees,
way. now Is the golden opportunity. Have
your movable frame hives ready and hive
your new swarinS In them. \ new colony OF
inv golden banded Italians, have filled n ten
In twcnty-nnc days, without the assistance OF
foundation. When the bees swarm, have no
ringing OF bells. beating tin pans, and such
nonsense; walt patiently and nine times out
of ten, they will settle nj their " accord II
they don't. all the racket you can make about
II. will have little effect in altering their de-
termination. They may say what they like
about using q fountain pump, throwing
sand. nnd diScharging firearms among tho
swarm; but. In my experience. when they
strike for the woods, your only hope is In fol.
lowing them. and they may go Il hundred
yards or, rs has hccn known. even as far as
seventeen miles before ulighting. After the
swarm settles. brush your hive out nicely, mo
need of fnnling with peach leaves and salt
watcr). set II where you wish 1t to remain, saw
off the limb with the bees on 1t, lay 1t on q
board at the enterancc of the hive. and In q
short time the bees will be established In
their new quarters. If 1t Is not convenient to
cut the limb. or other object on which they
light, take an cd wool hat, secure 1t to Il
pnle and hold it near the cluster, shake or
smoke q portion Of the bees Off when they
to return, put the hat In the way, By
the side of the cluster. until quite Il number
have settled upon II, after which, You will
have no difficulty In getting the whole swarm.
When they have ali settled on the hat, walk
gently to your hive, and deposit them on the
hoard as YOU would the limb. lfthcy should be
disposed 10 clog the entrance To The hive by
STOPPING to hum their satisfaction. keep 1t open
gently pushing them aside with q twlg.
You may facilitate their march by pushing
the rear of the company In the SAM
manner. They will 20 to work ut once. and
build small hits of comb by the next morning.
Raise the rear end Of the hive three inches
above the level of the front, TO make them
build straight combs. II two Swarms should
be out at the same time, cover the ff"St TO
Might with q tablccloth or sheet. to hide them
from the others. Otherwise they Will all
in the same cluster, much, perhaps, 10
disInny.
RI at any time during swarming. you can
discover and secure the queen, you have the
in your own hands. Cage the queen,
lake the hive In which you desire the bees.
and sci II i'm The place of the hive from which
me swarm issued. The bees VIII soon dis
over her absence and returning to the old
:tand. will enter the new hive. After a por-
lion of the swarm has entered, release the
,1crn nj the door and allow her tn 60 In with
he swarm. When they are all hiv"d. set them
o a new stand and return the old hive In Its
proper place. | hive most OF my bees. that
ire allowed to swarm naturally, according TO
his latter plan, giving them Il few frames
If brood from the old hive. by clipping the
queens wings you will be able to purSile this
slam altogether, If You wish. avoiding a great
ical of anxiety and all possibility OF abscond'
swarms.