222 SUMMER. 



SWARMS SOMETIMES RETURN. 



Occasionally a swarm will issue, and in a few min- 

 utes return to the old stock. Mr. Miner gives a cause 

 for this, very ingenious, and romantic, but unfortu- 

 nately there are but few facts to sustain this hypothe- 

 sis, (at least I have not discovered them.) There are 

 other causes that appear to nie more reasonable ; the 

 most common is the inability of the old queen to fly, 

 on account of her burden of eggs, old age, or some- 

 thing else. I have sometimes, after the swarm had re- 

 turned, found the queen near the stock, and put her ' 

 back, and the next day she would come out again, and 

 fly v/ithout difi&culty, (perhaps she had discharged some 

 of her eggs.) 



Their returning is more frequent in windy weather, 

 or when the sun is partially obscured by clouds. About 

 three-fourths of them will not re-issue until a young 

 queen is matured, eight or ten days afterwards ; and a 

 few, not at all. But when the queen returns with the 

 swarm, they usually come out again the next day, or 

 day after, and some not till the third or fourth. - I have 

 known two instances where they issued again the same 

 day. 



EEPETITIOrr PREVENTED. 



Sometimes a swarm will issue and return three or 

 four days in succession, but this I generally remedy, 

 as it is often owing to some inability of the queen, and 

 she may be frequently found while the swarm is leav- 

 ing outside the hive, unable to fly. " In such cases it 

 is only necessary to have a tumbler ready, and watch 

 for her ; and as soon as she appears, secure her, get 



