§xi.] RATIONALE OF SWARMING. 75 



quite fixed, the bees in the cluster suddenly return to the 

 hive to fill themselves with honey for the flight. The 

 agitation of the little folk is well described by Evans : — 



" See where, with hurried step, the impassioned throng 

 Pace o'er the hive, and seem, with plaintive song, 

 To invite their loitering queen ; now range the floor. 

 And hang in clustered columns from the door ; 

 Or now in restless rings around they fly, 

 Nor spoil they sip, nor load the hollowed thigh ; 

 E'en the dull drone his wonted ease gives o'er, 

 Flaps the unwieldy wing, and longs to soar." 



But when all is ready, a scene of the most violent agita- 

 tion takes place; the bees rush out in vast numbers, 

 forming quite a dark cloud as they traverse the air. 



The time selected for the departure of the emigrants 

 is generally between lo a.m. and 3 p.m. ; most swarms 

 come off within an hour of noon. ^ In very sultry weather 

 they have been known to be as early as 7 a.m., and on 

 the other hand as late as 5 p.m., though 'this last pro- 

 bably only occurs when a young queen leads the detach- 

 ment. As a rule, says Von Berlepsch, first swarms start 

 in the morning and after-swarms in the afternoon. It 

 is a very general remark that bees choose a Sunday for 

 swarming, and probably this is because then greater 

 stillness reigns around. It will not be difficult to imagine 

 that the careful bee-keeper is anxious to keep a strict 

 watch, lest he should lose such a treasure when once it 

 takes wing. The exciting scene at a bee-swarming has 

 been well described by the apiarian laureate : — 



