After having taken all precautions as to preventive measures there win still be some colonies that will attempt to swarm when producing comb honey. During poor seasons of course the percentage may be quite low, but during good seasons the conditions are sometimes such that a majority of the colonies may make an effort to swarm. Swarming colonies, however, may be controlled in such a manner that practically as much surplus honey is secured as if the colony made no attempt to swarm. If but a single apiary is being operated and the beekeeper is present during the swarming season, the bees may be permitted to swarm naturally without loss to the beekeeper; but if several apiaries are being operated, it is more economical to employ some method by which swarming may be controlled by visiting each apiary at given intervals during the swarming season, rather than to have an attendant at each. =Control of Natural Swarms.= Natural swarms may be managed (1) by allowing them to cluster naturally, then hiving them in the ordinary manner; (2) by the clipped queen method; (3) by the use of queen traps (fig. 13; see Farmers' Bulletin No. 447, pp. 29-30); or (4) by use of the swarm catcher.[4] [4] This is simply a wire-cloth cage large enough to be set over the hive or be fitted over the entrance. If the attendant is provided with a number of these catchers he can avoid the usual confusion ordinarily occurring when several swarms issue at about the same time. After being caught in this manner the swarms may be hived at the convenience of the beekeeper. [Illustration: Fig. 13.--Drone and queen trap on hive entrance. (From Phillips.)] To keep the forces together (1) the swarm without the queen may be returned to its hive, the queen cells destroyed a week later, and the colony afterwards requeened (p. 36); or (2) the brood may be removed from the hive while the swarm is out, after which the swarm with the queen is returned. The former method is useful under some conditions (p. 37), but the latter is the one usually preferred. When the swarm is hived back without the brood on its old location in this manner, the colony does not lose any of its flying bees and is back at work with renewed energy in the same set of supers it was but a few minutes before so eagerly deserting. Instead of removing the combs from the brood chamber the usual practice is the removal of the entire brood chamber and the substitution of another whose external appearance is the same. This method of swarm management keeps the bees, queen, and supers together and is one of the most satisfactory known. It is not, however, adapted to out-apiaries or any apiaries not having an attendant, and requires considerable time in watching for and hiving swarms. [Illustration: Fig. 14.--Colony before swarming; supers in place. (Original.)] =USING THE REMOVED BROOD TO BEST ADVANTAGE.=