MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

THOUSAND ANSWERS 245A. Set the hive on the ground with the entrance close to thebees, put a few at the entrance, and let the rest follow.Q. I have just started in beekeeping. I keep my bees in a largeattic. Having only one colony, I would like to get another swarmstarted in swarming time. Can they be made to go into anotherhive while swarming?A. Of course a swarm can be hived in any hive, just the sameas if the' bees were on the ground instead of being in an attic.What you probably mean, however, is to have the bees enter thehive of their own accord. That can be managed, too, just thesame as if the bees were on the ground. Have the queen's wingclipped. Then when the swarm issues catch and cage the queen,move the old hive to a new place and set the new hive where theold hive stood. The swarm, having no queen, will be sure to returnwithin a few minutes, and finding the old hive gone, willenter the new one sitting where it left the old one. As the beesare entering the hive, free the queen and let her run into the hivewith them.Q. In hiving a swarm where only the queen and not quite twoframes of bees can be captured, should the division-board be usedas in nuclei, and about how many frames of comb or foundationshould be given them?A. A division-board is not needed, but it is better to have adummy; that is, a board like a division-board, but having a spaceall around. The hive may be filled at first with combs, or you maygive only one comb more than the bees can cover, adding othersas they are needed.Swarms, Issue of.—Q. What time of the day do bees swarm?A. The prime swarm, which issues with the old queen, generallycomes off somewhere between 9 and 12 o'clock. An afterswarm,having a virgin queen, is more irregular, and may issueearlier or later, in some cases as early as 6 in the morning, anda-: late as 4 or S p. m. If a morning is very hot, a swarm may comeout early. If the day should be rainy, and clear off rather late intheafternoon, a swarm may come then.Q. Do bees find a home before they swarm?A, Often, and perhaps generally.Q. Are there any indications to tell when the first swarm willissue?A. Yes ; when a colony decides to swarm it starts a number