It frequently happens when Bees are managed upon the depriving system,
that for want of timely room and ventilation being given, a swarm comes
off from the stock hive, leaving the bell-glass, or small hive which
has been placed upon it, in an unfinished state. Now, whenever this
happens, let the swarm be hived into "The Improved Cottage Hive," and
the bell-glass or small hive, with the adapter, immediately removed
from the stock hive, and placed upon the newly-hived swarm; and as
soon as the Bees are a little settled (say in fifteen minutes), remove
the new-hived swarm to the place in which it is intended to remain,
care being taken to fasten down the straw cover upon the parent hive;
for no further profit can be expected from it beyond a second, and,
perhaps, a third swarm, which are almost sure to follow. In this method
of immediately removing a swarm to the apiary, Gelieu agrees with me,
and for which he gives the following reasons:--"Most people who have
Bees allow their swarms to remain till the evening in the place where
they have alighted, and do not move them to the apiary till after
sunset. This method has many inconveniences. As soon as a swarm has
congregated in the new hive, and seems to be at ease in it, the most
industrious among the Bees fly off to the fields, but with a great
many precautions; they descend the front of the hive, and turn to
every side to examine it thoroughly, then take flight, and make some
circles in the air in order to reconnoitre their new abode; they do
the same in returning. If the swarm has taken flight in the morning,
the same Bees make several excursions during the day, and each time
with less precaution, as, becoming familiarised with their dwelling,
they are less afraid of mistaking it; and thus, next morning, supposing
themselves in the same place, they take wing without having observed
where they have spent the night, and surprised at their return not to
find the hive in the same place, they fly about all day in search of
it, until they perish with fatigue and despair. Thus many hundreds
of the most industrious labourers are lost; and this may be entirely
avoided if the swarms be removed as soon as the Bees are perceived
coming out: this sign is alone sufficient." Experience has long since
proved that the custom of beating warming-pans, and the like, at the
time a swarm leaves the hive is perfectly useless. Much trouble may be
spared the Bees if the loose straws be removed from its interior; and
the best method of effecting this is first to singe them with a wax
taper and afterwards to remove them with a hard brush.
It is now an ascertained fact that the old queen accompanies the first
swarm; the period which usually transpires between the first and second
swarms is from nine to thirteen days; between the second and third the
time is much shorter. If second swarms come by the middle of June, and
stocks are required, it will be well to preserve them, for after-swarms
have always young queens, which is a great advantage. Should second
swarms not come till July, let them be returned to the parent hive, or
put two of them together.
Symptoms of Swarming.--The symptoms preceding a _first_ swarm are
the rapid increase in numbers clustering, or hanging out, and drones
becoming numerous and unusually active. Those of an after-swarm are
much more certain, for, nine or ten days after the departure of the
first swarm, a singular noise, called "piping," may be heard in the
stock. The first note, says Mr. Golding, is long and plaintive, and is
uttered by the princess already at liberty; she traverses the hive, and
stops upon, or near, the royal cells which still contain brood, and
emits her long plaintive note. This, when the other young queens are
sufficiently forward, generally in about two days, is answered by them
from _within_ their cells in a quick, short, hoarse note; after these
last have been heard for about two days the swarm may be expected to
come off. Third swarms should either be returned to the parent hive, or
added to a second swarm, for by themselves they are totally valueless.
Sometimes an early first swarm, when additional room is not supplied at
the time required, will send out another swarm: this generally occurs
in about a month, but it is a thing by no means to be desired, and
should carefully be prevented by giving timely room.
Hiving.--"Whatever system is adopted let everything be in readiness
for the reception of swarms, for even where the depriving system is
followed, from some oversight on the part of the apiarian a swarm will
occasionally occur. Watch the swarm in silence, and after it has once
collected, lose no time in housing it into a new, clean and dry hive
(its weight with the floor-board being first taken and marked upon
it), and let it he placed where it is to remain within ten or fifteen
minutes after the time of its being hived; it will not be necessary
even to wait till the Bees clustered in front or on the sides of the
hive are reunited to their companions inside, as they are never long in
being so.
Hives with Comb in Them.--Hives of comb, in which swarms of the last
year have died, should be carefully preserved for hiving swarms into
them; it gives a swarm treated in this manner full three weeks'
advantage over another put at the same time into an empty hive.
Putting Glasses of Small Hives upon Swarms.--The most proper time for
putting the bell-glass, or small hive, or box, upon a swarm, will be
from the eighteenth to the twenty-first day after their being hived;
and should it be quickly filled, and more room required, which may be
known by the crowded state of the Bees inside the glass, and by their
being seen to cluster at the mouth of the hive at nine or ten in the
morning, let no time be lost in lifting up the glass, and placing
between it and the stock hive a small hive or box with a hole in the
top. (See page 8). It is necessary to use this precaution at all times,
but more especially in a rainy season, as a greater disposition amongst
the Bees to swarm then prevails. "Dry weather makes plenty of honey,
and moist of swarms," says good Mr. Purchase; and, however, incorrect
this position may at first sight appear, the attentive observer will
quickly become convinced of its truth.
Second Swarms.--A second swarm generally leaves the hive about nine
days after the first; but the time may be exactly ascertained by
standing quietly beside the hive after sunset, when the queen may
be distinctly heard "totun in hir treble voic," (_Butler's Feminin
Monarchi_, Ed. 1643), which is a certain indication that a second swarm
will leave the hive. Should two or three queens be heard one after the
other, it will be on the following day, if the weather be not very
unfavourable. Should the queens continue to pipe after the departure of
a second swarm, a third will _certainly_ follow in a few days; but if
one or two queens be found dead beneath the hive on the next morning,
no more swarms can be expected.