SWARMING AND HIVING. 146 



before any of the insects which depend upon the heat of 

 the sun, are able to commence breeding, the bees have 

 added thousands in the full vigor of youth to their already 

 numerous population. They are thus able to send off in 

 season, colonies sufficiently powerful to take advantage of 

 the honey-harvest, and provision the new hive against the 

 approach of Winter. From these considerations, it is very 

 evident that swarming, so far from being, as some Apiarians 

 have considered it, a forced or unnatural event, is one, 

 which in a state of nature, could not possibly be dispensed 

 with. 



Let us now inquire under what circumstances it ordinarily 

 takes place. 



The time when swarms may be expected, depends of 

 course, upon climate, season, and the strength of the stocks. 

 In the Northern and Middle States, b6es seldom swarm be- 

 fore the latter part of May ; and June may be considered as 

 the great swarming month. The importance of having 

 powerful swarms early in the season, will be discussed in 

 another place. 



In the Spring, as soon as a hive well filled with comb and 

 bees, becomes too much crowded to accommodate its teem- 

 ing population, the bees begin the necessary preparations 

 for emigration. A number of royal cells are commenced 

 about the time that the drones first make their appearance ; 

 and by the - time that the young queens arrive at maturity, 

 the drones are always found in the greatest abundance. 

 The first swarm is invariably led off by the old queen, unless 

 she has previously died from accident or disease, in which 

 case, it is accompanied by one of the young queens reared 

 to supply her loss. The old mother leaves soon after the 

 royal cells are sealed over, unless delayed by unfavorable 

 weather. There are no signs from which the Apiarian can, 

 13 



