HIVING OF SWARMS. 239 



branch of a tree. (See plate xxxi, fig. 56.) They 

 remain thus in a body for about one or two hours, 

 during which time only a few bees are seen to depart ; 

 these probably go to seek out a residence for the 

 swarm in the forest ; soon after the scouts return, 

 whether successful in their search or not, the swarm 

 leaves, in a direct line. They doubtless alight re- 

 peatedly until a home is found. Thus, long distances 

 are frequently traversed by a swarm before a perma- 

 nent location is made. 



Not unfrequently swarms, after issuing and flying 

 for a few minutes, and sometimes even clustering on 

 a tree, suddenly return to the parent hive ; the cause 

 of which is, that the queen has either not left the hive 

 with the swarm, or after she has left, finds herslf un- 

 able to continue her flight and sinks to the earth, and 

 is lost. In the former case, the swarm again issues 

 within one or two days after its return ; but in the 

 latter, not till the ninth day, and is then accom- 

 panied by a young, unfertile queen ; it being the 

 one that would have accompanied an after swarm. 

 (This applies only to first swarms.) 



In all cases where a returned swarm is delayed 

 nine days, as above, an after swarm usually issues 

 about the third day after the former has finally left. 



HIVING OF SWARMS. 



As soon as the swarm is all out of the parent hive, 

 open it and take out one of the side combs, contain- 



