DADANT SYSTEM OF BEEKEEPING 69 



They considered swarming a desirable thing. So it was, when 

 dividing or artificial increase was unknown. They also thought 

 as already stated, that the drones were useful in keeping the 

 brood warm. So they would be if they did not have to be kept 

 warm themselves when they are reared and also if the bees did 

 not kill them, as they are sure to do, in bad weather. 



There is not any doubt that the excess of drones in the hive 

 promotes swarming. Those big, noisy fellows remain in the way, 

 all day long, except for a flight during the warmest hours, being 

 then still more in the way of the active workers. Although, as 

 Dr. Bruennich says, there is a. certain fondness of the workers 

 for the drones, during the crop, which changes to hate after- 

 wards when they see them helping themselves from their hard 

 earned stores, yet their numbers make for discomfort and a 

 crowded condition. 



In a state of nature, according to the best authorities, bees 

 build from one-seventh to one-tenth of their combs of drone 

 size, in the brood-chamber. If only one-twentieth of the combs 

 of a normal colony were filled with drone-brood, this would 

 supply nearly 2,500 drones per colony. We should permit only 

 two or three of our very best breeders to rear so large a number 

 of drones, for 5,000 to 10,000 drones are enough for any apiary. 



Some beekeepers see no way to destroy drones but to use 

 a drone-trap. That is to say, during the busiest, warmest season, 

 when their bees need the greatest amount of ventilation, they 

 place in front of the entrance a cage made to catch drones and 

 queens, the very worst encumbrance that may be devised, for 

 the sake of catching the drones as they emerge, having to remove 

 them every evening or suffer the odor and encumbrance of dead 

 drones in front of each hive. 



It is probably impossible to rjear no drones at all, but if 

 we remove all the drone-comb, early in the season, as nearly 

 as we can, and replace it with worker-comb, there will be drones 

 reared only in imperfect cells here and there or in out-of-the-way 

 corners. Instead of rearing 2,000 or more, we will perhaps rear 

 200 or less in each colony, a very important difference when we 

 consider the comfort of the colony. Remember that if we leave 



