BEES. 15 
gradually into adult worker pees. As the weather grows warmer, and 
the colony increases in size by the emergence of the developing bees, 
the quantity of brood is increased. The workers continue to bring 
in pollen, and nectar to be made into honey. After a time the queen 
begins to lay eggs in the larger cells, and these develop into drones or 
males. 
Continued increase of the colony would result in the formation of 
enormous colonies, and unless some division takes place no increase 
in the number of colonies will result. Finally, however, the workers 
begin to build queen cells over certain female larve. These are larger 
than any other cells in the hive and hang on the comb vertically. In 
size and shape they may be likened to a peanut and are also rough on 
Fig. 10.—Piece of comb showing worker and drone cells with irregular transitions. 
Reduced. 
the outside. When the larve in these cells have grown to full size 
they too are sealed up, and the colony is then ready for swarming. 
Swarming consists of the exit from the hive of the original queen 
with part of the workers. They leave the hive to seek a new home 
and begin the building of combs, storing of honey and pollen, and 
rearing of brood in a new location. They leave behind the honey 
stores, except such as they can carry in their honey stomachs, and the 
brood, some workers, and no adult queen, but several queen cells from 
which will later emerge young queens. By this interesting process the 
original colony is divided into two. 
The swarm finds a new location either in a hollow tree or, if cared 
for by the bee keeper, in a hive. The workers build new combs, the 
queen begins laying, and in a short time the colony is again in normal 
condition. 
397 
