Handling bees is neither a difficult or a dangerous job. A few precautions are necessary. First of all have your veil well fastened and a good smoke going. Before opening a hive blow a few puffs into the entrance, then pry up the cover. Blow a puff or two over the frames before entirely removing the cover. If the bees still show fight blow several puffs down between the frames at each end of the hive. By this time they should be sufficiently subdued. Always begin manipulation by removing a comb near the side of the hive. Pick the side that seems to be the least occupied. Most standard hives are one quarter inch wider than is actually necessary to hold the frames. This is to facilitate removing the first comb. If the colony is well built it will probably be necessary to use your tools vigorously to make enough room to get the first comb out. After that they may be easily pried apart one or two at a time. It is a common practice to stand some of the combs on end against the side of the hive during manipulation. If nights are chilly or the colony weak it is very important to replace the combs in the original order so as not to disturb the equilibrium of the brood chamber. Always bear in mind that the queen is somewhere and unless you have seen her and know which comb she is on be careful in standing or leaning the combs to see that she is not on the bottom end or where she may accidentally be killed. Now while all this is going on the bees may recover from their first fright and begin to show signs of stinging. They have a cocky way of acting just before taking wing to sting. You will soon learn to gauge their temper by their movements. A puff of smoke now and then will serve to check them. Gentle bees may be handled almost entirely without smoke under ordinary conditions.

Weather conditions greatly influence the temper of bees. The warmer the day the less they are inclined to sting. A good nectar flow simplifies manipulation in every way. It first of all removes the danger of robbing. It reduces the number of bees in the hive during the working hours to a very noticeable degree. Then they are so busy coming and going that they seem to pay little attention to the disturbance.

It is necessary to remove the bees from a comb if it is to be transferred to another hive. The best way to do this is to give the comb a few quick jerks up and down right over the hive. Practically all the bees will be shaken off and drop into the hive. What few remain may be brushed off with a bee brush. It is bad practice to jar the hive, bees are very quick to resent shock. For this reason it is advisable to have every hive on a separate stand so that while manipulating one you will not be disturbing others. Your motions should be slow and deliberate in handling the combs. Don't get rash or hasty.

Different races of bees or even different colonies of the same race vary widely in disposition. Blacks are especially excitable. I have known them to practically all run out of the hive when smoked and handled. They pour over the sides and out the entrance in a panic. Such bees are a nuisance and should be replaced by requeening from a gentler race.

A beginner is apt to be nervous and for that reason should wear a good pair of gloves (see bee gloves). They will be discarded later on as he becomes accustomed to being stung now and then. The system soon becomes immune to bee poison. The pain becomes less and less and the swelling soon fails to follow. Stings should be brushed off rather than pulled out. A bee sting is a hypodermic needle with a poison sack attached. The act of gripping and pulling out a sting serves to empty the poison sack by forcing the poison through the sting into the flesh. A drop of ammonia externally applied is a good antidote for be stings.