BEES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22429, 16 June 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

BEES

l, . ’ ' is the natural habit of bees to fflgjerm; it is their method of moving Jiabi one place to another ,and incniißg the race. The old QUeen has him the hive A with the first 1 gwatm. later smaller swarms or

easts may go off with newly l hatched virgin queens.' Drones and worker bees of all ages join in. During these flights bees are not Inclined to sting, and may be handled if care is used. Beekeepers prevent swarming by certain arrangements in the hive, -or the honey harvest would be lost through so many bees leaving Uie hive, a swarm might be anything bo to 91b or 101 b in weight.

When bees settle in an awkward , position where they are not wanted they are collected in a skep, a. special basket for the purpose, and later put into a hive; -

When a swarm of bees is to be skepped, they are sometimes driven by smoke from a smoker, an appliance something like bellows. The swarm greatly dislikes a puff of smoke, and the bees avoid it as much as possible.' By using the smoke in various directions, the operator can direct the bees until all are driven into the skep. They are then secured by fastening qanvas over the skep,