LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 167 



appears to communicate her feelings to a portion 

 of the workers, and very soon, attended by them, 

 she also leaves the hive. 



These cluster together like the first, are placed 

 in a hive, and become another family. And now 

 a second queen is set at liberty ; but she too is 

 treated with indifference, and leaves in the same 

 manner. This is swarming. 



There are still other royal grubs in the cells, 

 and one of these becomes queen of the parent 

 hive, and is treated with the respect she de- 

 serves. 



For several nights before a swarm of bees 

 leaves the hive, a singular sound may be heard 

 within it, which appears to proceed from a single 

 bee, while all the rest are unusually silent. What 

 this strange sound means, or whether it is made 

 by the queen bee, is not known, although many 

 curious notions have been entertained respect- 

 ing it. A fine, clear day is always chosen for 

 the departure of a swarm, and if there should 

 be any appearance of rain, even after they have 

 left the hive, they will return to it for shelter, 

 and wait until the sun again invites them forth. 

 On the day of their departure, most of the bees 



