THE BEE FAMILY 



Usually a large number of cells are started 

 by the workers at the swarming season. It 

 must be remembered that when a swarm 

 comes out seeking new quarters, the hive from 

 which it emerges is left queenless for a few 

 days, as the old queen accompanies the swarm, 

 and the bees and brood that are left in the hive 

 are dependent upon the hatching of one of the 

 remaining queen cells for a queen. 



If but one queen cell were left and that 

 should fail to hatch, the hive would be hope- 

 lessly queenless, as at the time the cell should 

 hatch the old queen would have been away so 

 long that there would be no eggs present 

 sufficiently young from which the remaining 

 bees could rear another, as the egg must not 

 be much over three days old to start it toward 

 royalty. It is this possibility that prompts 

 the bees to leave a large number of cells be- 

 hind, often as many as fifty, so that provision is 

 made for any emergency. 



Usually as soon as a good virgin comes 

 forth, the bees will proceed to tear down the re- 



47 



