Piping of the Queens. 143 
ing. If heard, we may surely expect a swarm the next 
day but one following, unless the weather be too unpleasant. 
Some have supposed that the cry of the liberated queen 
was that of hate, while that by the queen still imprisoned 
was either enmity or fear. Never will an after-swarm 
leave, unless preceded by this peculiar note. 
At successive periods of one or two days, though the 
third swarm usually goes two days after the second, 
one, two, or even three more colonies may issue from the 
old home. Mr. Langstroth knew five after-swarms to 
issue, and others have reported eight and ten. These last 
swarms, all after the first, will each be heralded by the 
piping of the queen. They will be less particular as to the 
time of day when they issue, as they have been known to 
leave before sun-rise, and even after sun-set. The well- 
known apiarist, Mr. A. F. Moon, once knew a second 
swarm to issue by moon-light. They will, as a rule, cluster 
farther from the hive. The after-swarms are accompanied 
by the queen, and in case swarming is delayed, may be 
attended by a plurality of queens. I have counted five 
queens in asecondswarm. Berlepsch and Langstroth each 
saw eight queens issue with a swarm, while others report 
even more. Mr. Doolittle says the guards leave the cells 
when the queen goes out, and then other queens which 
have been fed for days in the cells rush out and go with 
theswarm. He says he has known twenty to go with third 
swarms. I have seen several young queens liberated in a 
colony. How does Mr. Doolittle explain that? These vir- 
gin queens fly very rapidly, so the swarm will seem more 
active and definite in its course than will first swarms, When 
the swarming is delayed it is likely that the queens are often 
fed by the workers while yet imprisoned in the cells. The 
view is generally held that these queens are kept in the 
cells that the queen which has already come from the cell 
may not kill them. = 
The cutting short of swarming preparations before the 
second, third, or even the first swarm issues, is by no means 
arare occurrence. This is effected by the bees destroying 
the queen-cells and sometimes by a general extermination 
of the drones, and is generally to be explained by a cessa- 
