34 THE HONEY-BEE. 
‘ 
Cells that are short, like those on the lower edge cf 
comb not completed, or, on the side, seem to be preferred, 
and quite a number are often built close together. 
When these are one-third or one-half done, the queen 
will deposit eggs in them. 
When hatched, the larva is supplied with a super- 
abundance of food; this appears from the fact that a 
quantity is frequently found remaining in the cell after 
the queen has left. The consistency of this substance is 
about like cream, the color somewhat lighter, or just 
tinged with yellow. Be 
The time in which an egg, originally destined for a 
queen, matures, does not vary much from sixteen days. 
When some of these young queens are sufficiently ad- 
vanced to be sealed over, the old queen; and the greater 
part of the workers, abandon the hive for a new location, 
(this action is termed ‘‘ swarming”), leaving those remain- 
ing to maintain the prosperity of the old home, The 
bees after leaving, soon collect in a cluster, and if put in 
an empty hive, will commence anew their labors, con- 
structing combs, rearing brood, and storing honey ; thus 
establishing a new colony. 
In ordinary circumstances when a swarm has thus left 
a stock, the oldest of the young queens is ready to issue 
from her cell in about seven or eight days. When she 
appears, she will, if not restrained by the bees, at once 
proceed to bite into the remaining queen-cells and sting 
the immature queens to death. Butif another swarm is 
not contemplated they will permit her to accomplish 
their destruction. Jn three or four days thereafter, if 
the weather is favorable, the queen will leave the hive 
for connection with the drone. 
In their preliminary preparations for swarming num- 
bers of drones have been reared for this purpose. This 
meeting takes place high in the air. The queen upon 
her return frequently bears evident marks of the connec- 
