NATURAL SWARMING. 175 



effect is produced on the insects is not any longer 

 believed by apiarians ; and there is good reason for 

 thinking that the origin of the practice was altogether 

 different from its supposed use. The probability is, 

 that it indicated at first nothing more than that some 

 one wished to proclaim to the neighbours the fact of 

 his bees having swarmed, so that he might lay claim 

 to them wherever they might settle. 



It sometimes happens that the inclination to cease 

 flying is delayed beyond the usual time. It is said 

 by Langstroth that the throwing of a few handfuls of 

 dust into the air, or the flashing of sunlight by a 

 mirror among the bees, will have the effect of 

 bringing them down. Vergil, nineteen centuries ago, 

 pointed out that, in what he called their battles, but 

 which were probably only the confusions of swarm- 

 ing, the flinging of dust or earth among them would 

 have a quieting effect. 



Sometimes, unfortunately, a strong and wayward 

 queen will lead off her colony far beyond the pre- 

 cincts of the apiary in which she has been living. 

 The writer has, during the past season (1883), had to 

 regret the vagaries of such a queen, who, the previous 

 year, came into his possession through her abandon- 

 ing her former master, without giving any clue as to 

 her ownership ; and this year, after twice settling, 

 and being once hived, within some two hundred 

 yards of the apiary, took wing again, and was entirely 

 lost, though followed more than half a mile. Few 

 things are more vexing to the bee-keeper than such 

 mishaps ; and it becomes necessary to take all pre- 

 cautions which are possible against them. When, 

 therefore, a swarm has once decidedly gathered into 



