228 THE BEE NATION. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



SWARMING. 



THE two greatest events in the bee State are the already- 

 mentioned swarming and wedding flights, and the behavior 

 of the bees in these important respects shows incontrovertibly 

 that they are perfectly conscious both of the object to be 

 attained and of the difficulties and dangers surrounding it. 

 Swarming, or the foundation of a new colony, does not take 

 place until " bee-takers," that is scouts or spies, have been 

 sent out, which investigate the neighboring places and seek 

 for the most suitable spot for the new colony. The extra- 

 ordinary restlessness of those that remain behind clearly 

 shows that they know what an important matter is in hand. 

 The majority do not go about their ordinary work, but hang 

 in thick beard-like masses outside the mouth of the hive. 

 A loud clear hum is heard inside and outside the hive, which 

 lasts through the whole night, According to F. Huber the 

 queen is restless, lays her eggs irregularly or drops them, 

 interchanges touches with the bees which come in her way, 

 and climbs on their backs. No one offers her honey, as 

 usual ; she takes it herself out of the cells which lie in her 

 way, and no homage is paid her. Those which are disturbed 

 by her movements follow her, run idly over the comb and 

 spread the commotion to the other parts of the hive. As 

 soon as the queen has been all over the hive the restlessness 

 is general. The workers no longer concern themselves with 

 the young, those which return from collecting do not dis- 

 burden themselves of the pollen, but run wildly about. The 

 uproar raises the temperature of the hive so much that 

 the wax begins to melt, and this helps to induce the 

 undecided ones to swarm. The temperature rises to 27 P or 

 32 Q R.[33fand40 C,or92fandl04 F.-TR.]aheatwhich 

 is as a rule intolerable to bees. The bees crowded together 

 at the mouth of the hive become so hot that those under- 



