The best time for performing the operation is about ten o'clock in the morning of a fine summer's day. The following directions should be carried out: Place ready a counter or bench that is firm and strong, and which has space on it for the inhabited--or, rather, the over-inhabited--frame hive, and the empty one, which is about to be made the receptacle of a separate stock. The operator, attired in his bee dress, and having the other appliances ready, may now open the hive[26] (as described at page 270), and proceed to take out the frames, carefully examining both sides of each comb to find the queen:[27] she is generally in the centre of the hive, so that it is not always needful to take out every one of the frames. As these are examined they may be put into the empty hive, and when the object of the bee-master's search is found he must carefully remove the frame containing her majesty, and may place it temporarily in the empty hive, at one end by itself, or he may make use of the bar-frame holder (Chap. IV. § xi.). Next he must proceed to put the frames back into the old hive, closing up the vacancy caused by the removal of the comb with the queen on it, and leave the empty frame at the end. Then he may place the frame containing the queen, with the few bees that may be upon it, in the centre of the empty hive; and, finally, putting all the other empty frames in, and replacing the lid, he will place this hive in the exact position occupied by the old stock. The bees that are on the' wing will go to the old spot, and, finding the queen there, they will rally round her, and if a time is chosen when a large number are abroad, they will on their return very soon form a sufficient number to constitute a swarm; comb-building will at once begin, the frames will, in a week or so, be filled, and a satisfactory stock will thus be established. [Footnote 26: Bees are apt to take the interference more quietly if the stock is moved a little distance from its accustomed Stand; in such case, put an empty hive in its place, to amuse returning bees. These can be shaken out when the hive it is desired they should inhabit is restored. If this is kept in a closed bee-house the entrance should be shut down until the hive is replaced, when the clustered bees may be at once admitted.] [Footnote 27: Italian queens are more easily detected, being of a brighter colour, and, generally, larger than English queens.]