BEE-KEEPING 285 



The old adage says : 



" A swarm in May is worth a load of hay, 

 A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon, 

 A swarm in July may be allowed to fly." 



Swarming occurs in the height of the 

 breeding season, when the hive is becoming 

 daily more crowded, and unless plenty of 

 room is given the bees' instinct leads them to 

 know that some of them must seek a new 

 home. The first preparation for swarming 

 is the building of a number of queen cells. 

 When these are nearly ready to hatch out, 

 the old sovereign abandons the hive, accom- 

 panied by nearly the whole of the adult 

 population, leaving the young princesses, one 

 of which becomes the queen, with all the 

 young bees and any flying bees, which return 

 to the old hive, to form the colony. 



If swarms are hived in bad weather, they 

 must be fed until they can get out to gather 

 honey. 



In many places July is the busiest month July 

 for honey gathering, and section crates and 



