606 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



August, 1917 



FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 



Swarm Prepares, Issues, and Travels to 

 New Home 



A continuation on Swarming from page 530 July number 



The swarming impulse having arisen, the 

 colony immediately begins its plans for leav- 

 ing. This preparation does not, as many 

 suppose, consist merely in the completion 

 of the queen-cells, but there are other mat- 

 ters also that must receive the attention of 

 the bees. It is of vital importance that, 

 aftei' entering the new abode, the bees shall 

 be able to begin comb-building immediately. 

 So while an apparent state of idleness has 

 prevailed for a number of days, the work- 

 ers have in reality been engaged in secreting 

 wax scales to meet the immediate demands 

 of the new work. 



The day for swarming arrives. There 

 is a certain laxity in the gathering force, 

 alt ho some field bees are still at work bring- 

 ing in pollen and honey. Inside the hive 

 there is an unusual commotion. Even those 

 loaded with pollen are rushing about in 

 great excitement. The majority of those 

 that are to leave with the swarm are either 

 gorged with honey or they are just load- 

 ing up ; for after leaving there will be 

 great need of this honey, not only for food 

 but also for secreting wax scales for build- 

 ing their new comb. A few bees, however, 

 do not take up this burden, as they are 

 resen'ed for defense work and scouting pur- 

 poses. 



Usually, the swarm alights before leaving 

 the vicinity of the hive. It will be noticed 

 that the bees on the outside of the cluster 

 are not loaded ; these comprise the defensive 

 force of the swarm. No sooner is the clus- 

 ter completed than preparations begin for 

 the second move, which may or may not be 

 (he final one. 



Often the new swarm has selected their 

 future home before leaving the old one, but 

 I believe this is not the rule. In one case 

 T followed a swarm that had no home locat- 

 ed, and they traveled a distance of two 

 miles before alighting. Again, I followed 

 one for half a mile and watched them enter 

 the new home without having ^clustered or 

 hardly checked their mad rush from the par- 

 ent hive to the tree that they entered. 

 Usually we may expect them to alight before 

 leaving, and send out scouts in search of the 

 new abode, if it has not already been select- 

 ed. If they leave within an hour, they 

 probably have already chosen their quarters. 

 If not leaving for several hours or even a 

 day, it is quite likely that their home has 

 not yet been located. 



I have had a peculiarly good chance to 

 observe this matter; for, when a boy, I 

 often knew them to come three miles across 

 the Kaw River Valley into the heavier wood- 

 ed section on our side. In eveiy case that I 

 observed, in which this distance was traveled, 

 there was no home decided upon until they 

 had alighted and the scouting force had 

 made their report. As a rule the new loca- 

 tion is not selected at an excessive distance 

 from the clustered swarm. In case the new 

 home is not chosen within a reasonable time, 

 the swarm will make the second, tliird, and 

 even the fourth flight before getting located, 

 sending out scouts from each stop to search 

 for quarters. Invariably, at the last clus- 

 tering-place there may be found a few 

 scouts which returned after the swarm mov- 

 ed on; and as long as they live, these bees 

 will remain in that locality, true to the trust 

 left them. The process of wax production 

 continues during the delay in searching for 

 quarters, so that many scales are lost; and 

 when the swarm has moved on, small bits 

 of comb will be found attached to the 

 clustering-place. In searching for a home 

 there is no certainty that a swarm will con- 

 tinue in the same direction of flight, for I 

 believe that I have had swarms that left me 

 return in a few days to decoy other bees 

 from the same yard. If much time elapses 

 before a place is found, the bees use up the 

 honey in their sacs, become more active, 

 and fly higher and further. They also are 

 quite cross from the fact that they have 

 nothing to do but guard work. 



We will now suppose that the scouts 

 have reported favorably concerning their 

 new home. Shortly others will appear on 

 the scene, and still others, until it may seem 

 that the swarm has already moved in. This 

 may continue for several days before their 

 actual coming, tho the hand of man may 

 divert them even now into other quarters. 

 Still they often refuse the place man offers 

 them, in favor of the spot of their own 

 choice. Immediately before they move in, 

 there is always a lull in the activity of the 

 bees around their prospective home. This 

 is due to the fact that the scouts have re- 

 turned to escort the swarm. 



They come at last and lose no time in 

 establishing their quarters. The wax scales 

 that have been prepared are utilized in the 

 immediate construction of comb. The field 

 force, in a very few minutes, is out after 

 nectar; and the greatest activity prevails, 

 all work now centering on the gathering of 

 nectar and the building of comb. When 



