72 THE BEE AS AN INSECT. [Ch. i. 



mical difference, proved by experiments that their colour 

 was caused simply by smearing with honey, or else 

 was the effect of stifling or of fright, and that the loss 

 of hairs was owing to nothing more than having crept 

 repeatedly through confined entrance-holes ! Similarly 

 Dzierzon : " The black colour is one purely accidental, 

 produced through heating, rubbing against sides, biting, 

 smearing, licking, and the like. As a rule, the glossy 

 black bees are robbers which have been pursuing their 

 trade for some considerable time." 



§ XI. THE RATIONALE OF SWARMING. 



Under this heading we purpose to describe such 

 matters as belong chiefly to the natural history of the 

 bee, thus reserving for its proper position at the begin- 

 ning of our fifth chapter all which strictly belongs to the 

 subject of " Manipulation," and which it is to the con- 

 venience of the inexperienced bee-keeper to find brief 

 and ready to his hand at any moment of emergency. 

 A leisurely digesting of the interesting facts stated in the 

 present section will, however, greatly assist him in the 

 intelligent following of his pursuit. 



In May, when the preceding part of the spring has- 

 been fine, the queen bee is very active in the deposition 

 of eggs, and the increase in a strong healthy hive is so 

 prodigious that emigration is necessary, or work would 

 soon cease. The bees, on arriving at a conviction of 

 this fact, commence preparations by the building of royal 



