ALL SHOULD BE MADE TO ENTER.
In all cases be sure to get them all to enter; a cluster outside of it may contain the queen, unconscious of a home so near; and the probable consequence might be, she would leave for a miserable one in the woods.
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO THE STAND IMMEDIATELY.
When all are in, except a few that will be flying, let the hive down close to the board; take hold of this and carry it at once to the stand they are to occupy, and raise the front edge half an inch; let the back rest on the board; this will give them means to re-ascend, if they chance to drop, which large swarms often do in hot weather. If the bottom is an inch or more from the board when the bees fall, there is nothing to prevent their rushing out on every side—their means of getting up again are bad—if the queen comes out with the rush, there are some chances for their leaving.
PROTECTION FROM THE SUN NECESSARY.
Another thing is very important; swarms should be protected from the sun for several days, in hot weather, from nine o'clock till three or four; and then if the heat is very oppressive, and the bees cluster outside, sprinkle them with water and drive them in; and by wetting the hive occasionally, it will carry off a large portion of the heat, and make it much more comfortable.
CLUSTERING BUSHES.
If there are no large trees in the vicinity of your apiary, all the better, as there will then be no danger of your swarms lighting on them; but all bee-keepers are not so fortunate, myself being one of the number. In such a place it is necessary to provide something for them to cluster on; get some bushes six or eight feet high (hemlock is preferable); cut off the ends of the branches, except a few near the top: secure the whole with strings to prevent swaying in ordinary winds; make a hole in the earth deep enough to hold them, and large enough to be lifted out easily. The bees will be likely to cluster on some of these; they can then be raised out, and the bees hived without difficulty. A bunch of dry mullein tops tied together on the end of a pole, makes a very good place for clustering; it so nearly resembles a swarm that the bees themselves appear to be sometimes deceived. I have frequently known them leave a branch where they had begun to cluster, and settle on this when held near.
The motives for immediately removing the swarm to the stand are, that they are generally more convenient to watch in case they are disposed to leave; also many bees can be saved. All that leave the hive, mark the location the same as in spring; several hundreds will probably leave the first day; a few may leave several times; when removed at night, such will return to the stand of the previous day, and generally are lost; whereas, if they are carried at once to a permanent stand, this loss is avoided.
Those that are left flying at the time, return to the old stock, which those that return from the swarm the next day will not always do. The time for moving them now is no more than at another. It is unnecessary to object, and say, that "it will take too long to wait for the bees to get in;" this will not do. I shall insist on your getting all the bees to enter before leaving any way. I consider this an essential feature in the management. I will not say that my directions will always prevent their going to the woods, but this I do say, that out of the hundreds that I have hived, not one has ever left. It is possible proper management has had no influence in my success, yet something like an opinion of this kind has been indulged for a long time.