8WABMING AND HIVING. 109 



CHAPTER IX. 



NATURAL SWARMING, AND HIVING OP SWARMS. 



THE swarming of bees is one of the most beautiful 

 sights in the whole compass of rural economy. Although 

 many who use movable-comb hives prefer the artificial 

 multiplication of colonies, few would be willing entirely to 

 dispense with the pleasing excitement of natural swarm- 

 ing. 



" Up mounts the chief, and to the cheated eye 



Ten thousand shuttles dart along the sky ; 



As swift through aether rise the rushing swarms, 



Gay dancing to the beam their sun-bright forms ; 



And each thin form, still ling'ring on the sight, 



Trails, as it shoots, a line of silver light. 



High pois'd on buoyant wing, the thoughtful queen, 



In gaze attentive, views the varied scene, 



And soon her far-fetch'd ken discerns below 



The light laburnum lift her polish'd brow, 



Wave her green leafy ringlets o'er the glade, 



And seem to beckon to her friendly shade. 



Swift as the falcon's sweep, the monarch bends 



Her flight abrupt ; the following host descends. 



Round the fine twig, like cluster'd grapes, they close 



In thickening wreaths, and court a short repose." 



EVANS. 



The multiplication of colonies by swarming, both guards 

 the bee against the possibility of extinction, and makes its 

 labors in the highest degree useful to man. The laws of 

 reproduction in insects not living in regular colonies, 

 secure an ample increase of their numbers. The same is 

 true of those which live in colonies during the warm 

 weather only, as hornets, wasps, and humble-bees. In the 



