686 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



with the ycung queen. Since the prevention or control of swarming 

 is such an important problem in practical apiculture, the value of 

 research along this line is evident. Since our original hive has now 

 divided, let us follow the swarm with the old queen and later return 

 to the old hive to observe the actions of that. 



In the hands of a bee-keeper the departing swarm may be put 

 into another hive, provided he wishes to increase the number of his 

 colonies; but in nature the swarm will find an old hollow tree or 

 some similar place in which to establish itself. The bees, before 

 leaving their old hive, till themselves with honey until the abdomen 

 is greatly distended, and for this reason it is not necessary for them 

 to collect nectar for a day or two, for they have other work to do. 

 Some of the bees begin to clean up the new quarters and get it fit 

 for occupancy; but most of them begin the construction of new 

 combs. To do this they suspend themselves in curtains from the 

 top of the hive, and remain motionless for some time. The wax 

 used in building comb is secreted by the workers in eight small pock- 

 ets on the lower side of the abdomen while they thus hang in cur- 

 tains. Finallv, after considerable wax has been thus formed, thev 

 begin to build. The small flakes of wax are passed forward to the 

 mouth, there mixed with a salivary secretion to make them pliable, 

 and then are placed against the top of the hive. Other workers then 

 come and place their small contributions of wax on those first de- 

 posited, and this continues until the combs are finished. There is 

 more to comb-building than the mere sticking on of wax plates, how- 

 ever; and nothing in all bee habits is more wonderful than the beau- 

 tiful plan on which they build the comb. The cells are hexagonal 

 in shape, so that each cell in the center of the comb is surrounded 

 by six others; nor is this the only remarkable thing in their archi- 

 tecture, for each comb is composed of a double row of cells, the 

 base of each cell being formed of three parts, each one of which is 

 likewise a part of a separate cell on the other side of the comb. By 

 this method the bees obtain the greatest possible capacity for their 

 cells with the least expenditure of wax. The accuracy of the cells 

 of the comb has in all ages been an object of admiration of natural- 

 ists and bee'-keepers; and while the degree of perfection assigned 

 to these cells has undoubtedly been over-stated by most writers, yet 

 we can not but admire and wonder at the remarkable instinct, 

 almost bordering on intelligence, which enables the bees to build 

 cells so well suited to their purpose. 



As soon as there are some cells constructed, and even before 

 they are entirely completed, the queen begins to lay eggs, and the 

 workers begin to collect stores of honey and pollen. They also 

 collect in considerable quantity a wax-like substance from various 

 trees, commonly called propolis, with which the inside of the hive 

 is made tight, closing up all openings except the one which serves 

 as an entrance. In this way the new swarm prepares for itself an 

 abode like the one it left; and by sealing up the crevices and gath- 

 ering stores it prepares for the coming winter. 



We may now return to the colony which remained after the 

 swarming took place to see what happens there. The colony left in 

 the old hive retains all the brood and honey stores, and has a newly 

 hatched queen. There is then no necessity for wax building nor 

 for sealing up the hive; but this colony is already in a normal condi- 



