Swarm Control. 5 
About a week after the issuing of the prime swarm the first of the 
young queens in the parent colony emerges from her cell. Instead of 
destroying the other young queens and establishing this first emerged 
young queen as the new mother of the colony, the bees usually swarm 
again about eight days after the prime swarm has issued, this after- 
swarm being accompanied by one or more young queens. Other 
afterswarms, each one smaller than the preceding, may issue with an 
interval of one or two days between until the colony is so reduced in 
numbers that further swarming is given up and all but one of the re- 
maining young queens are killed. About 10 days after emergence 
the surviving young queen usually begins to lay, and normal brood- 
rearing is again established in the parent colony after an interval of 
at least 16 days during which no eggs have been laid. Each after- 
swarm establishes itself in a new abode, begins building its combs, 
and the young queen begins to lay about 10 days after emergence. If 
sufficient food is available such colonies may build up to normal 
strength for winter. This is the natural method of reproduction of 
colonies in the honeybee. 
OBJECT OF SWARM CONTROL. 
Swarm control is one of the most important factors in the recent 
development of commercial honey production on an extensive scale. 
It was practically unknown until within comparatively recent years. 
Formerly a colony swarmed when it got ready, and no attempt was 
made to foretell, forestall, or prevent the act. It was necessary to 
watch the bees constantly during the greater part of the day while 
the swarming season lasted to prevent the escape of issuing swarms. 
When a swarm issued it was hived in a separate hive, and in due time 
the parent colony sent out one, two, and often three or more after- 
swarms, thus dividing the original colony into several parts, each 
of which was too small for profitable honey production, except dur- 
ing an occasional season of abundance or in an especially favorable 
locality. The issuing of these prime swarms and afterswarms was 
looked upon as a part of the annual program of the bees. 
Gradually methods were devised for the prevention of afterswarms, 
and systems of management were worked out whereby the actual 
working force of the colony is not divided by the issuing of the 
prime swarm. During more recent years methods have been devised 
by which swarming is either prevented entirely or the act of swarm- 
ing is anticipated by the beekeeper, which permits the control of 
swarming without constant attendance. This has made it possible 
for a beekeeper to operate a series of apiaries without an attendant 
in each to watch for and hive the issuing swarms. 
