SWARMS AND SWAKMING 79 



and smaller until the last attempt has only enough 

 adherents to fill a breakfast cup. 



After the issue of the "prime" or first swarm, the 

 succeeding ones are described as "after" swarms, and 

 have invariably young virgin queens accompanying them. 

 At times three or more virgins are found in the tiny 

 cluster. Modern bee-farming methods have decided 

 against allowing bees to swarm how and when they like. 

 It is unworkable, to say nothing of the loss involved, 

 to permit natural swarming. Of course it has to be 

 recognised that the swarming propensity is an instinct 

 of the Apidce, and that considerable study is required to 

 combat or control that instinct successfully. Eeasoning 

 from analogy, man has bred a constant type of non-sitting 

 fowl, (The Mediterranean breeds) and why cannot he 

 accomplish something the same with the honey bee I 



That careful breeding can reduce the swarming fever 

 to a minimum the author has demonstrated in the apiaries 

 year after year. The congregation of large numbers of 

 hives in small areas receiving skilled and constant 

 attention to their wants, renders the swarming instinct 

 valueless. In fact it becomes detrimental; if increase 

 of colonies is desired, the apiarist should gain it at his 

 most convenient time, which is not necessarily so for 

 the bees. Looking at it from another standpoint, if 

 increase is permitted per medium of natural swarms, it 

 must of necessity continue to perpetuate this undesirable 

 factor. This, then, forms the chief objection to using 

 queen-cells raised during the swarming impulse. 



When the season advances, with honey and pollen 

 abundant, the hive quickly fills with brood, and a queen 

 laying 4,000 eggs per day soon gets short of cells. If 

 the bee-farmer supplies plenty of room for egg laying 

 and honey storage, also an enlarged entrance for extra 

 ventilation and shade if the sun is hot, he will greatly 

 mitigate the colonising propensity. But in spite of all 

 these precautions some hives will swarm. 



The majority of swarms issue between the hours of 

 9.30 a.m., and 3.30 p.m. As the bees pour forth from the 



