At the time designated (about sunset) he goes out to his hive on the table. It has been a very hot afternoon, and the hive was where it received the full force of the sun's rays. He carefully raises the sheet. There is the limb on which the bees clustered, but where are the bees, they are not on the limb? Why, in the hive, of course. That is where he expected to find them. He peeps carefully under the hive to see how they are getting along, but astonishment is depicted on his countenance when he discovers that his hive is empty. His bees have left for other parts beyond his knowledge. He tries to think of some reason why the bees have gone, and seeks to lay the blame upon the hive. "Oh!" he says "I guess they did not like the hive, but I guess I shall have better luck next time."
To a progressive bee keeper, one who has correct and practical knowledge of the natural habits of bees, it is very plain why they left. They were actually driven away by mismanagement. The heat of the sun pouring down upon them, was enough of itself to drive them off. Then placing the limb, with the cluster adhering to it, on the table near the hive, showed lack of knowledge of the natural habits of bees. The hive might as well have been in the house, as placed where it was. Then the hour or more taken to get the hive ready, gave the bees time to send out their scouts, to look up a location of their own, and when these scouts returned, they left with them for a new home. T contend every swarm does this, viz: They swarm out of the old parent stock, led by the old queen. They cluster on some object, as a tree, brush or vine, near the old home. Then they immediately send out a few bees or scouts to look up a new home. These scouts may be gone a longer or shorter time. When they return, if they find the bees clustered where they were when they left, they soon lead them off to the new quarters, but if before the scouts are sent out, or before they return, the swarm is hived and placed on the stand it is to occupy, then the swarm will not leave, for the scouts know not where to find them, or if they should find them, the bees would seldom leave a good clean hive, for a home in the woods. These scouts may often be seen playing about the place where a swarm has clustered, for several days after the swarm has been hived.
Had this bee keeper placed his hire on the table, as soon as the bees were clustered, and raised the front edge one inch, instead of four or six inches, and then, instead of cutting off the limbs, if he had taken a basket or pan, placed it beneath the cluster of bees, and by a sudden jar of the limb dislodged them from it into the basket or pan, then emptied them down in front of the hive, and sprinkled lightly with a little water, at the same time disturbing them gently with a quill or light brush so they would not collect around and block up the entrance, except a very few that may be flying in the air (and these will return to the old hive,) in this way getting them all into the hive, and immediately carrying it to the stand it was to occupy, covering it with a board to shade it from the hot rays of the sun, or placing it in the shade of a tree, he would have saved his bees, the damage to his pear tree, and much perplexity.
By the old methods of managing bees, there were no means of knowing when to expect swarms; consequently the bees were sometimes watched all summer, in expectation of swarms any pleasant day, as outside indications were fa vol able for them; yet they would often adhere to the old hive throughout the entire summer.
With the controllable hive and new system of bee management, as shown in this work, swarming is brought completely under the control of the bee keeper. It is well for him to understand correctly what are the requisites and preparations for natural swarming by the bees, when left to themselves in a natural state. They are as follows: The bees must be obtaining honey freely, either from flowers, or from feed supplied them. The combs must be filled with brood in all stages of growth, from the egg just deposited in the cell, to the perfect bee just emerging. (And from this, bee keepers will note what conditions are required at the time swarms are forced, as recommended in my plan.) When this condition of affairs is reached, the bees construct queen cells, (that is, if they deride to swarm; they will do as they like about it, if left entirely to themselves,) from which in about sixteen days the queens will hatch, unless the bees should change their intentions, and decide not to swarm, and destroy all the queen cells. Remember, they are having it all their own way. When these cells are sealed over and finished is the time (if everything is favorable), when the first swarm leaves, led off by the old queen. Some of the most reliable works on bees have taught that the queen cells must be half finished before the queen will deposit the egg that is to produce the queen; but this, I find by close observation, is a mistake; for if you take the queen away from a stock, with no queen cells in any stage of formation in the hive, the bees will rear a queen from a worker egg, deposited in an ordinary worker cell. And who shall say they do not do this when the queen is present? I am satisfied they do.
Thus we see in natural swarming, with the bees left to themselves, the old queen leaves with the first swarm, at about the time the queen cells are sealed over and finished, which is about eight days before the young queens hatch.
When the young queens hatch, after-swarms (as second and third issues, or all after the first,) will issue. Second swarms may be expected in about eight days after the first. This time will sometimes vary, as the hatching of the queen somewhat depends on the weather, the number of bees left in the old stock, etc.; a low temperature retards the hatching, while a high temperature forwards it.
At evening of about the eighth or tenth day after the first swarm, by putting your ear close to the hive you will hear, very plainly, every few minutes, several clear and distinct "peeping" sounds, very sharp at times, then hoarse and dull. This sound proceeds from the young queen just hatched. When it is heard, look out for a swarm the next day; though it sometimes happens that one or two days will intervene before they will issue. But as long as the sound continues, be on the lookout for swarms. This "peeping" can always be heard before a second swarm issues, if we will take the trouble to listen. The time between second and third swarms is invariably from one to four days. It is useless to look for after-swarms from a stock after twenty days from the first. They are generally all out within sixteen days from the issue of the first swarm. I have given in another place, under the head of "Swarming Controlled," instructions how to manage swarming under my new system. Some additional information I will give in this connection.
Just before swarms are expected, if there are no trees near your hives, or if there are large trees from which it would be difficult to take a swarm of bees were they to cluster on the branches, procure several evergreen trees, such as spruce or fir, three or four feet high. Leave the limbs on, excepting about a foot at the bottom. Sharpen the trunks, so they can be set in the ground and lifted out with ease. With a bar make large holes, about a foot deep, in front of your hives, some distant about six feet, others from twelve to thirty feet. Set a half-dozen or more of these trees in these holes, putting in by the side of them a small stone or piece of wood, to hold firmly in place and prevent swaying by the wind. When your swarms issue, they will be very likely to cluster on some of these trees, when they can be conveniently gathered in the Controllable Hive.
In hiving, if the bees have clustered on some one of the trees set for them, place the Controllable Hive on the stand it is to occupy, allowing the stand to project two feet in front of the hive. Draw back the bottom board under the brood section ten or fifteen inches, to give the bees a good chance to enter the hive. Shade the hive well. Now go to the tree on which your swarm is clustered. Remove the stone or piece of wood that holds it in place; lift the tree, carefully avoiding any jar, carry it to the hive, and hold the cluster down to the stand and close up to the hive, as near the entrance as possible. Then give the tree a sudden jar, sufficient to dislodge the cluster of bees. They will fall directly at the entrance of the hive, and immediately commence to enter. Sprinkle lightly with water, and gently disturb those that stop about the entrance, with a quill or brush, till all are made to enter the hive. Then slide the bottom board forward to its place and the work is done.