406 INSECTS AFFECTING VEGETATION 



the workers bring in early pollen and honey, the queen begins to 

 lay eggs in the worker cells. These in time develop into white 

 larvae, which grow to fill the cells. They are then capped over and 

 transform gradually into adult worker bees. As the weather grows 

 warmer, and the colony increases in size by the emergence of the 

 developing bees, the quantity of brood is increased. The workers 

 continue to bring in pollen, and nectar to be made into honey. 

 After a time the queen begins to lay eggs in the larger cells, and 

 these develop into drones or males. 



Continued increase of the colony would result in the formation 

 of enormous colonies, and unless some division takes place no in- 

 crease in the number of colonies will result. Finally, however, the 

 workers begin to build queen cells over certain female larvae. These 

 are larger than any other cells in the hive and hang on the comb 

 vertically. In size and shape they may be likened to a peanut and 

 are also rough on the outside. When the larvae in these cells have 

 grown to full size they too are sealed up, and the colony is then 

 ready for swarming. 



Swarming consists of the exit from the hive of the original 

 queen with part of the workers. They leave the hive to seek a new 

 home and begin the building of combs, storing of honey and pollen, 

 and rearing of brood in a new location. They leave behind the 

 honey stores, except such as they can carry in their honey stomachs, 

 and the brood, some workers, and no adult queen, but several queen 

 cells from which will later emerge young queens. By this interest- 

 ing process the original colony is divided into two. 



The swarm finds a new location either in a hollow tree or, if 

 cared for by the bee keeper, in a hive. The workers build new 

 combs, the queen begins laying, and in a short time the colony is 

 again in normal condition. 



The colony on the old stand (parent colony) has the advantage 

 of the bees which emerge from the brood. After a time (usually 

 about nine days), the queens in their cells are ready to emerge. If 

 the colony is only moderately strong the first queen to emerge is 

 allowed by the workers to tear down the other queen cells and kill 

 the queens not yet emerged, but if a second swarm is to be given off 

 the queen cells are protected. 



If the weather permits, after from five to eight days the young 

 queen flies from the hive to mate with a drone. Mating usually 

 occurs but once during the life of the queen and always takes place 

 on the wing. In this single mating she receives enough sperma- 

 tozoa to last throughout her life. She returns to the hive after 

 mating, and in about two days begins egg laying. The queen never 

 leaves the hive except at mating time or with a swarm, and her sole 

 duty in the colony is to lay eggs to keep up the population. 



When the flowers are in bloom which furnish most nectar, the 

 bees usually gather more honey than they need for their own use, 

 and this the bee keeper can safely remove. They continue the col- 

 lection of honey and other activities until cold weather comes on in 

 the fall, when brood rearing ceases; they then become relatively 



