92 AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 



room and ventilatiori must be provided before prepara- 

 tions have been made for swarming by the building of 

 queen cells, otherwise the provision will be of little use 

 in this respect. The removal of queen cells alone only 

 temporarily delays swarming, for when the bees have got 

 that far towards it, in nine cases out of ten they will not 

 be content till they do swarm. In adding top boxes the 

 empty one should always be placed next above the brood 

 T'hamber and under any others already on. 



PREVENTION OF AFTER-SWARMING. 



This, as compared with the previous question, may be 

 considered an easy matter. In the ordinary course of 

 events a second or after-swarm may be expected in eight 

 or nine days after the first issues, and while there are 

 several embryo queens maturing in the hive. But should 

 unfavourable weather set in about the time for the first 

 leaving, it would be kept back, and may be prevented 

 from issuing till near the time for the young queens 

 coming to maturity. I have known cases where, owing 

 to the prevalence of bad weather, after all preparations 

 had been made for swarming, the young queens have 

 been destroyed, and swarming given up for the time. 

 At all events, we can reckon, as a rule, that the first 

 young queen will not emerge from her cell in less than 

 eight days from the time the first swarm Issues. 

 Now if we see that all but one of these embryo queens 

 are removed, that Is, all the queen cells but one, and only 

 allow this one to come to maturity, there cannot be any 

 after-swarm, as this queen will be required in the hive. 

 It would not, however, be correct to remove the cells 

 immediately after the first swarm leaves, as will be 

 presently shown. The old queen would be laying up to 

 within a verv short time of her leaving the hive ; con- 

 sequently there would be eggs in the cells at that time. 

 Supposing the queen •^ells to be cut out during the first 

 day or two after, the bees would be almost sure to build 

 others, and thus frustrate our plans ; but if we let them 

 remain for about five days before we remove them, the 

 larvae would be too old by that time, and there would be 

 little likelihood of other cells being started. Choice of 



