INSECT COMMUNITIES 287 



is temporarily suspended, while many of the workers 

 gorge themselves with honey. Scouts are sent out to 

 explore the neighbourhood ; and ere long a great swarm 

 of emigrants, headed by the queen and accompanied by a 

 few of the drones, issues from the hive. They fly round 

 in an agitated crowd, but at length gather in a great 

 cluster on the branch of a tree, or some other convenient 

 spot, where the queen has settled. The practical bee- 

 keeper may now readily " take the swarm " — i.e. accom- 

 modate the bees with a new hive ; but in default of this 

 attention the insects will shelter in a hollow tree, among 

 the rafters of a shed or outhouse, or in some similar 

 situation. The workers at once construct brood comb in 

 which the queen lays eggs, and in this way a new com- 

 munity is founded. Meantime, in the parent hive, a 

 princess has escaped from her cell. Her first act is to 

 tear open the remaining royal cells, and sting their in- 

 mates to death. About a week later she leaves the hive 

 for her nuptial flight, followed by a bevy of drones ; and, 

 on her return, settles down to her task of egg-laying. 

 But should the stock be strong and the hive incommodious 

 a second swarm or " cast " may be sent out nine days after 

 the first. When this happens, the omnipotent workers 

 prevent the young queen from destroying her imprisoned 

 sisters ; while if, as is sometimes the case, no swarms at 

 all are sent forth, the old queen may be crushed to death 

 by the workers, one of the young queens being installed 

 in her place. In any event, a community of hive-bees, 

 when once established, has within itself the power in- 

 definitely to renew its youth. The individual worker 

 lives only about two months ; but fresh generations pour 

 from the combs throughout the summer ; while the latest 

 brood of the season survives the winter and gathers up 

 the threads of progress when spring returns. The queen 



