The Uahits of the Honenlx: 



15 



111 this way tlie new swarm prepares for itself an 

 abode like the one it left; and by sealing up the 

 crevices and gathering stores of honey it prepares 

 itself for the coming winter. We may now return to 

 the colony which remained after the swarming took 

 place, to see what takes place 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 conditon except that the cjueen is not yet ready 

 to perform her duties, and she will receive our atten- 



HEXAGONAL AND ROUND CELLS. 



tioii now. A very young queen receives little attention 

 from the workers, but goes about the combs practically 

 unattended. When about five days old (the exact time 

 depending on the weather), in the afternoon the virgin 

 queen flies from the hive to mate with a drone, or male. 

 Slie first takes several small preparatory flights to get 

 her liive located so that she may find it on her return, 

 and finally she flies upward in constantly enlarging 

 circles high in the air. This far she may be easily 

 followed; but few have been fortunate enough to 

 observe the actual matinj^. Sometimes the mating 



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