THE HONEY BEE FAMILY 35 



worker bee lives but a short time, probably not 

 much more than six weeks. If the harvest is 

 over before she emerges from her cell she may 

 live for six months and help to begin the next 

 season's garnering. 



The Swarm. — When the warm days come 

 in spring the population of the hive will in- 

 crease very rapidly. Apparently there is no 

 settled rule that governs swarming. It is the 

 natural method of increase, and as soon as a 

 colony becomes strong, preparations for a 

 division of the household may be made. In late 

 May or early June, in a favorable season, the 

 hive will be getting crowded. Thousands of 

 workers will be gathering honey and caring for 

 the multitudes of young bees that are daily 

 hatching. By this time drones will be getting 

 numerous and an examination may disclose 

 from one to a dozen or more queen cells. The 

 box hive beekeepers of our grandfathers' day 

 would say that the bees will swarm, when thev 



