SWARMINft. T19 



made for swarming, and, seven or eight days before the event 

 is to take place, queen cells are started upon the combs. The 

 first of these cells will be sealed over on or about the ninth 

 day, and, when this is observed ; when the bees of the colony 

 are found clustered about the entrance of the hive, or work- 

 ing in a listless, half-hearted way, while the bees of other 

 stocks are actively engaged foraging — the swarm may be 

 expected to issue. (See illus. p. 129.) 



207. Delay of Swarming Should rain and unfavourable 



weather generally prevail at the time of the capping of the 

 earlier queen cells, the swarm will not issue. The mature 

 cells will be opened, the young queen nymphs will be 

 destroyed, and swarming will be deferred until the weather 

 improves ; and, if necessary, fresh queen cells will be prepared, 

 loss of valuable time ensuing. Should inclement weather be 

 prolonged, swarming may be abandoned altogether for the 

 season. 



208. The Swarm. — But, if the weather continue favourable, 

 the bees will, in the early forenoon, make ready for their 

 departure. A number will be seen flying in front of the 

 entrance, gaily sporting themselves, and with their heads 

 towards the hive. Within, the agitated queen, having ceased 

 ovipositing, hurries from comb to comb, where those of her 

 progeny who are to accompany her in this reckless abandoning 

 of home, and stores, and brood, are filling their honey sacs 

 from the cells, laying in a supply of food sufficient to serve 

 them for three or four days (18). Presently wild excitement 

 spreads through the whole colony; the bees rush hither and 

 thither ; the temperature rises rapidly ; and, suddenly, the 

 swarming bees pour out from the entrance in a steady stream. 

 The air seems to be full of them; they fly around in the very 

 abandonment of ecstacy ; until, the queen mother joining thdm, 

 or alighting upon some neighbouring tree, they settle around 

 her, and form the well-known cluster of the swarm. Previous 

 to this scouts have been sent out to find a suitable place in 

 which the swarm may locate itself, and lay the foundation of a 

 new home. Usually, until the return of the scouts (which may 

 occur within an hour), the bees will remain in the cluster; 

 and they should be secured at once, because the scouts gene- 

 rally select the new location at a considerable distance (211), 

 and, when the swarm rises from the cluster, it will follow the 

 scouts, and may be lost to the owner. (19). 



209. Vagaries of Swarms. — Should the queen, from any 

 cause, fail to leave the hive, the bees will return, and will 

 endeavour to force her to accompany them ; for, they will not 

 venture upon this hazardous enterprise without their mother 



