VAEIOUS METHODS. 247 



commenced laying eggs to induce her colony to build worker- 

 cells; we have known a strong swarm with a virgin queen, 

 to build beautiful worker-comb, before a single egg was de- 

 posited in the cells. 



When a new colony is formed by dividing the old hive, the 

 queenless part has thousands of cells filled with brood and 

 eggs, and young bees will be hatching for at least three weeks ; 

 by this time the young queen will ordinarily be laying eggs, 

 so that there will be an interval of not more than three weeks, 

 during which the colony will receive no accessions. But when 

 a new swarm is formed, in the way above described, . not an. 

 egg will be laid for nearly three weeks, and not a bee hatched 

 for nearly six. During all this time the colony will rapidly 

 decrease. 



Every observing bee-keeper has noticed how rapidly even 

 a large swarm diminishes in number, for the first three weeks 

 after it has been hived. So great is the mortality of bees dur- 

 ing the height of the working-season, that often, in less than 

 that time, it does not contain one-half its original number. 



By the time the progeny of the young queen begins to ma- 

 ture, the new hive will have so few bees that it would seldom 

 be of any value, even if its combs were of the best construc- 

 tion. 



473. One strong forced swarm, can be obtained in any 

 style of hive, including box-hives, by the driving process 

 (574 to 577) as follows: When it is time to form artificial 

 colonies, we mean a few days before 'swarming time, or as 

 soon as the hives are about full of bees,— drum a strong stock 

 — which call A— so as to secure all its bees. 



They maj' be driven either into a forcing-box, or into -the 

 upper story of a movable frame hive, and hived like a new 

 swaim, when, if placed on their old stand, they will work as 

 vigorously as a natural swarm. If they were driven, at first, 

 into a hive which will suit the Apiarist, it may be returned 

 to their old location, without disturbing the bees. 



If any bees are abroad when this is done, they will join 



