CHAPTER II. 



SWAB MS AND SWAIUIINCf, 



When Breeding Begins. 



Early in January the queen begins to deposit a few eggs in 

 the middle of the combs in the centre of the hive. Very small 

 indeed will be these patches of brood at first, and during 

 January they will not often be appreciably enlarged ; but as 

 the spring advances, and the weather becomes warmer, the 

 queen will lay an ever-increasing number of eggs. In March 

 she usually deposits a few drone eggs in the large cells ; while, 

 in the early part of April, she will lay a large number of them. 

 Towards the latter j^art of this month the fruit blossoms com- 

 mence to open, and from these, in fine weather, the bees gather 

 a large amount of honey. 



Swarming. 



About the beginning of May, supposing the spring to have 

 been fine and mild, the hive will become so crowded with brood 

 and honey that only very few cells will be empty. In this 

 state of things the bees will consider the advisability of re- 

 ducing the population of the hive by swarming. Through 

 their great foresight they have already bred drones, in case 

 they should be required ; and so now all that remains to be 

 done is to provide for the production of a new queen for the 

 old hive. They therefore build queen cells on the edges of 

 the combs, and in each of these cells the queen lays an egg. 

 When the queen cells are sealed over is the time when the 

 first swarm usually issues ; but, should the weather be un- 

 favourable, it may be delayed for a few days. 



Appearance of a Hive before Swarming. 



If the stock be in a straw skep, the bees will most likely 

 hang out in clusters from the alighting-board, and cluster on 



