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 somewhat vary, as the hatching of the queen sometimes 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 queens 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 sounds continue, be on the lookout for swarms. This "peeping" can always be heard before a second swarm issues, if we 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 of 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 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.
Should the bees cluster on some large tree or other out of the way place, the manner of hiving must be varied. Set your hive near by with a wide board in front to keep the bees out of the grass and dirt. Arrange the hive as before directed. If the bees are clustered on a small limb, high above your reach, secure a basket to a pole, and raise it directly beneath the cluster. Dislodge the bees from their position, when they will fall directly into the basket, which you should take down quickly and shake the bees from it down to the entrance of the hive and proceed as before. Keep the limb on which they were clustered in motion for a few minutes, to prevent their return. Should they cluster on the body of a tree, or a large limb, where they cannot be shaken off, set your hive near by, as before directed, and with a handled dipper, dip them off and turn them down in front of the hive near the entrance. Dip very carefully, so as not to crush any of the bees. They will not attempt to sting if you treat them well, and prove to them that you are their friend. After you have dipped off a portion of the bees, and got them moving into the hive, if the queen is with them, they will all leave the cluster and join their companions who are entering their new home. But if the queen remains with the cluster, as soon as those entering the hive discover that she is not with them, they will leave the hive and rejoin the cluster. So it is well to keep dipping as long as you can get any of the bees, or till you are certain the bees are leaving the cluster and entering the hive of their own accord.
It sometimes happens in natural swarming, that when a swarm issues, led by the old queen, which has occupied the hive for a year or more, that she finds herself unable to fly, and drops down in front of the hive. In this case if left to themselves, the bees after flying about for perhaps five or ten minutes will return to the hive whence they came, and remain until the young queens hatch, issuing again about the time a second swarm would have come out, or perhaps a little earlier.
If you are on hand you can prevent the swarm returning, but you must be lively. If you find the bees are flying longer than usual without clustering, and appear scattered and disorganized in their movements, look in front of the hive from which they issue for the queen. You will probably find her within two or three feet of the hive. Put her in a tumbler, and cover closely to prevent her escape. As soon as you find the bees have commenced to return to the old hive, set it back out of the way, and throw a sheet or some other covering over it.[4] Then set your Controllable Hive in its place, with the bottom board drawn back as directed in hiving a new swarm. Set the tumbler containing the queen over the brood section, so the confined queen can pass down into the hive, but leaving no chance for her to escape by any other way. The bees will then enter the hive readily. And as soon as all are in, which will be in a few minutes, remove the hive to a new stand and shade as directed before. Set the old stock back in its place.
[4] If other hires are near, on each side, it will be well to throw the covering over them also, to prevent the swarm entering any other than the designed hire, as they might possibly do, if the hives were only a few feet distant.
The foregoing circumstance often happens when bees are managed on the old swarming plan, and queens that are unable to fly are usually very old. On my plan of management, such cases are of rare occurrence.
Natural swarms usually issue between nine o'clock in the forenoon and one o'clock in the afternoon. Occasionally one will issue earlier in the forenoon or later in the afternoon; but as a general rule they make their appearance between the hours specified.