148 



TBE BEE-KEEPF.RS' EEVIj^j'a 



It is a well known fact that temperature 

 is an important factor in infiueuciutj the 

 swarmintr impube. A number of colonies 

 located in a pent up atmosphere, subjected 

 to the burning rays of the sun, will swarm 

 much sooner than a like number equally 

 strong, but protected by shade. 



Ventilation also governs largely in the 

 matter; and its necessity becomes more 

 apparent with hives exposed to the sun's 

 rays than otherwise. 



In a previous article under ./he head 

 •** Drones as a factor in swarming, " I al- 

 luded to my experiments with artificial 

 comb, by which I proved them to be a fac- 

 tor in swarming; they being necessary in 

 reproduction. 



In numerous experiments I have also 

 found that a removal of the combs contain- 

 ing pollen retarded swarming. This I have 

 proved by comparison with an equal num- 

 ber of colonies from which the pollen was 

 not removed. 



As already alluded to, honey is undoubted- 

 ly the strongest factor influencing the crowd- 

 ed condition. With combs well supplied, a 

 failure in the sources will not always pre- 

 vent the issue of swarms. This is particu- 

 larly true when colonies have been confined 

 to the hives by unfavorable weather after a 

 good honey flow. We frequently see swarms 

 issue a week or ten days following fruit 

 bloom, when they have been confined by 

 cold or rainy weather. Having begun prep- 

 arations under the influence of a honey 

 yield, an intensely crowded condition by 

 reaeon of confinement, during which time a 

 failure of the honey yield is not realized by 

 the colony, swarming is almost certain to 

 occur when honey is plentiful in the hive. 



With an aggregation of colonies under 

 the control of man, we also find another 

 factor which does not present itself where 

 colonies are isolated as in a state of nature. 

 I refer to the swarming impulse as being 

 contagious. I have known it (o manifest 

 itself under certain circumstanci s aid in 

 certain season favoring the circumstances 

 to an excessive degree. These circumstan- 

 ces include some of the factors alre;idy 

 named, such as heat, want of ventilatif)u, 

 honey yield etc. This contagion spreads by 

 reason of bees entering neighboring hives. 



We find another factor in the inherent 

 tendency, or sensitiveness of some col:uies 

 to the foregoing factors. The Carniolans are 

 a notable example of a variety in which 



both bees and queens are extremly nervous, 

 and suscepti^)le to outside influences. 



I have already intimated that the ^ueen is 

 impeded in her work of laying by reason of 

 a crowded condition of the colony. It is 

 barely possible that queen cells are then 

 constructed under circumstances similar 

 to supersedere; the queen being unable to 

 fulfill the requirements of the colony. I 

 have frequently observed many empty por- 

 tions of comb cells under such circumstan- 

 ces. I have also noticed that swarming 

 frequently takes place in case of supersed- 

 ure, when the colonies are overflowing with 

 bees. In such case the queen is liable to 

 succumb the following winter. I had ^uch 

 an occurrence the past season. 



As a summary we have as the prime cause 

 of swarming — Bees; and some eight or nine 

 factors. Temperature, ventilation, drones, 

 pollen, honey, the influence of a honey 

 yield extending into a failure of the honey 

 sources, the swarming impulse, the in- 

 herent tendency, and lastly, that under the 

 circumstances of supersedure. 



With a crowded condition, one or more of 

 these factors influence the issue of swarms 

 proportionally as they are present. 



Jackson, Mich. June 2, 18!)7. 



Cellar Wintering; Securing Drawn Combs 



for the White Honey Harvest: 



Bee Escapes. 



ISAAC LUNDY, 



M 



Y api cultural 



the fall of '77 by my 

 purchasing a colony 

 of bees in a box hive 

 for seven dollars. It 

 was placed for win- 

 tering in the wood- 

 shed, and scores of 

 exHminations were 

 made before spring, 

 t >ften I would i o- 

 tice a considerable 

 collection of ice on the sides of the hive, and 

 wondered about it, for, up to that time, I had 

 never read a word about bees. However, 

 they wintered well, and the next season gave 

 me three swarms, some ot whicii were brim- 

 stoned in the fall, as advised by veterans — 

 a thing I never did again, as I at once set 



