CHAPTER XVI.
Method of Dislodging Bees from Trees or Buildings, and putting them into Hives.
Itvery rarely happens that Bees in Buildings or in Trees survive the Winter, cold and humidity usually kill them, but the comb and the little honey remaining in it induces others to visit their abode in the Spring, and which in all probability will be followed by a Swarm from some neighbouring Apiary in May or June, and on this account Bees are saidalwaysto be there, a little observation will prove the incorrectness of this statement, and I believe the only criterion bywhich it can be proved that Bees haveactually existed in such places through the Winter, is to see them carrying in pellets of farina upon their legs in March and the early part of April.
The most proper time for dislodging a Stock, which from having fixed upon some warm and dry abode, has lived through the Winter, is towards the end of May, or the beginning of June, but a Swarm ought to be removed upon the day of its arrival, or as soon afterwards as possible.
The only method that I can recommend at all likely to succeed, and which I have found to answer the purpose, is to lay the combs quite bare, and then to cut them out one by one, sweeping the Bees with a feather, or the back of the knife, from each piece of comb into an empty hive.
Should the Queen not be observed during this process, it will be advisable to take a leaf of comb that is filled with eggs or brood, and fasten it inside the hive intended for the Bees, that they may be enabled to make a new one, should theiroriginal Queen have been killed or lost during this operation; for it is now proved beyond all doubt, that they have the power of doing this, provided they have either eggs or brood in their hive.
The use of a little tobacco smoke throughout this operation will be necessary, a cigar in the mouth of each operator (for there must be two persons, if not more, engaged in it) will be found sufficient.
The Queen Bee may easily be distinguished by a common observer, her wings are very short, not extending beyond one half of her body, which is much longer, and more pointed than that of the working Bees, her legs are copper coloured, and her body brown.
The combs being all removed and the Bees swept off them into the hive, it must now be put upon a board and placed exactly where the Bees entered before they were disturbed, and, if possible, it should remain in this situation till Autumn, but its remaining for a week or two is absolutelynecessary; should there be many combs filled with brood, three or four of them may be placed in the hive, by putting some wooden pegs at the top of it to keep them at proper distances, and allowing them to rest upon the hive-board.
This, however, is a tedious operation and very seldom pays for the trouble it occasions; for stocks thus obtained are generally weak and require feeding, or to be united to others to keep them alive through the winter. It is, therefore, more to the advantage of the proprietor, to cause the combs in trees or building, in which Bees have died, to be destroyed, and the places effectually stopped up with clay or mortar.