Piping of the Queens. 143 



ing. If heard, we may surely expect a swarm the next 

 day but one following, unless the weather be too unpleasant. 



Some have supposed that the cry of the liberated queen 

 was that of hate, while that by the queen still imprisoned 

 was either enmity or fear. Never will an after-swarm 

 leave, unless preceded by this peculiar note. 



At successive periods of one or two days, though the 

 third swarm usually goes two days after the second, 

 one, two, or even three more colonies may issue from the 

 old home. Mr. Langstroth knew five after-swarms to 

 issue, and others have reported eight and ten. These last 

 swarms, all after the first, will each be heralded by the 

 piping of the queen. They will be less particular as to the 

 time of day when they issue, as they have been known to 

 leave before sun-rise, and even after sun-set. The well- 

 known apiarist, Mr. A. F. Moon, once knew a second 

 swarm to issue by moon-light. They will, as a rule, cluster 

 farther from the hive. The after-swarms are accompanied 

 by the queen, and in case swarming is delayed, may be 

 attended by a plurality of queens. I have counted five 

 queens in a second swarm. Berlepsch and Langstroth each 

 saw eight queens issue with a swarm, while others report 

 even more. Mr. Doolittle says the guards leave the cells 

 when the queen goes out, and then other queens which 

 have been fed for days in the cells rush out and go with 

 the swarm. He says he has known twenty to go with third 

 swarms, I have seen several young queens liberated in a 

 colony. How does Mr. Doolittle explain that ? These vir- 

 gin queens fly very rapidly, so the swarm will seem more 

 active and definite in its course than will first swarms. When 

 the swarming is delayed it is likely that the queens are often 

 fed by the workers while yet imprisoned in the cells. The 

 view is generally held that these queens are kept in the 

 cells that the queen which has already come from the cell 

 may not kill them. 



The cutting short of swarming preparations befoi'e the 

 second, third, or even the first swarm issues, is by no means 

 a rare occurrence. This is effected by the bees destroying 

 the queen-cells and sometimes by a general extermination 

 of the drones, and is generally to be explained by a cessa- 



