12 BEE-KEEPING IN WAR-TIME 



The queen commences her maternal duties about the last 

 week in January. At first only a few eggs are laid; the 

 number of bees being small they can only brood over, and 

 keep up the necessary temperature (about 98 degrees), on a 

 limited number of cells. As the young hatch out, and the 

 colony increases, more eggs are laid each day. Gradually 

 the numbers increase to such an extent that about May the 

 hive becomes over-populated. When this occurs the bees 

 prepare for swarming. The first outward indication of this 

 condition is a small cluster of bees hanging at the entrance 

 in the evening ; as the days go by this cluster increases each 

 evening until eventually it remains there during the day- 

 time as well. Very little work goes on in the hive, a large 

 number of bees being unemployed on account of the con- 

 gested state of the home. An inspection of the combs when 

 the first few bees commenced to cluster at the entrance would 

 reveal the fact that the bees had commenced to build queen 

 cells, so that a new mother might be brought into existence 

 when the old one left. Generally from eight to ten of these 

 cells will be found. 



One morning, when the oldest princess is due to emerge in 

 the course of the next few days, great excitement prevails in 

 the hive, the bees rush about excitedly both inside and on 

 the alighting board. The old bees then take into their 

 stomachs sufficient food to last them for four days. They 

 are going to a new home, which is combless and foodless, so 

 nature has ordained that they shall be capable of carrying 

 sufficient food to last them until combs are built and food 

 stored in the new residence. 



About 10 a.m. the bees commence to rush pell mell out 

 of the hive, and fly round in a circle until the air is full 

 of the insects, all emitting a contented hum, which can be 

 recognised many yards away by the experienced bee-keeper. 

 Eventually the old queen joins the crowd and away they 

 go to settle on the branch of a tree or some other position 

 previously selected by the scouts sent out from the hive for 

 this purpose. The swarm contains anywhere from fifteen 

 to twenty-five thousand bees. They settle in a large pear- 

 shaped cluster ; as soon as all have settled down they should 

 be hived into a temporary home, there to remain until the 

 evening, when they can be run into their permanent abode. 



Sometimes the swarm is disinclined to settle. If this 

 restlessness exhibits itself, it is quite possible that they may 



