CHAPTER VII. 

 Swarming. 



I,v T-Mnrrs rrpHHlur. Ihen. k,„,l U, iusur. the licrprtuatiou „f the race. 



,;.,K.n,llv"s|„.ak,n^,th.n,len.st is ,...,U,-,.,1 n, the .In-ect descent fron, in.lnulual to 

 „„|,v„lual, as each one n, tnvn hccuncs ,l,e fnuntain sonrcc uf a new genc,ut,n„. Bnt 

 w.h hecs ,t ,s,Hllc,enl,f..v l.c.c ,vc have a social organism in which the factor of 

 parcnta.-e ,s suKonhnate. There is ,.ontinu,ty fron, ,,neen to .jueen, Imt this is less 

 important than t he rcp.'clnction of coh.nics; that is, the fact of perpetuation is more 

 ,..„„.,.,1 in the coniinnnilv than in any indivnhiah Furthermore, a ,incen may die and 

 he succeclcl hv her danghlcr, without any increase in the p,,pulatioi, of the hce-worhl 

 at large; whcieas, when new colonies a,-e forme,!, there is an increase hoth m com- 

 munities anil in the total numher of liees. 



The hecs- method of reprodaction, then, is hy the formation of new colonies. 

 When the proper season has arrived, generally in June, the hives become very strong 

 with a snpcralumdan.'e ..f inlialiitants, and some fine day thousands of them rush 

 pell-mell out ..f doors, i-ircding in the air in an ever-darkening cloud for several minutes; 

 then, as if of one mind, they settle in a cluster on a convenient object, which is generally 

 the bran.-h of a near-by tree. Here they cling for (juitc a while, frequently hours, as 

 if awaiting important news from somewhere ; then, if unmolested, they will suddenly 

 decamp to parts unknown, locating in a hole in the trunk of some decaying tree, and 

 there start up the routine of the colony afresh. But in a well-conducted apiary the 

 flight to distant regi(.ns is suiumaiily prevented by the bee-keeper, who secures the 

 cluster and houses it in a regular hive. Ordinarily, they accept the domicile, just as 

 pleased as if it were of their own selection. The whole procedure is technically known 

 as swarming. 



In a hive in summer-time there are to be found Vices of all ages and occupations. 

 The very youngest arc nursing the hirvas making wax, building combs, curing the 

 hone}- and capping it over ; the ohler ones are field-workers, their business being to 

 carry in nectar, pollen, water, and propolis. An interesting point at once arises, what 

 is the age of the bees that form the swarm V The old (jueen undoubtedly leaves the 

 hive ; that is beyond all dkspute ; and it is believeil that the greater part of the swarm 

 consists of fielders, but there is also a fair proportion of younger ones whose dutj' is 

 concerned with the inside labour. This should be so, for the best welfare of the new 

 community. 



Each bee fills her honey-sac to its utmost capacitj' before starting out, so tliat the 

 new colony is jirovisioned for several days ahead, should inclement weather prevent the 

 gathering of nectar. On arrival at the new abode, part of the swarm starts at once to 

 clean it out; another gathers into festoons and proi^eeds to secrete wax; while still 

 others coUec't the wax and build combs. .Just as fast as cells are built the queen laj'S 

 eggs in them, or the workers store honey, so that in a few days the usual routine of a 

 bee community is estalJished. 



In the hive from which the swarm emerged there has been left (|uite a strong force 

 of bees, thousands of young bi'ood in all stages, from egg to those about to hatch, and 

 several queen-cells, from eacli of which there may come out a queen. If the conditions 

 seem propitious, the workers may decide t(j send ott' several swarms, each accompanied 

 by a virgin (picen. Since the hive has been decidedly weakened ]\y the loss of the first 

 swarm, the second will lie much smaller, the third weaker still, and so on with the 

 others, until the last may consist of a mere handful of bees. Such weak colonies are 

 almost certain to die of starvation during the A\'inter, as they are rarely strong enough 

 to build up a numerous force and lay in sufficient stores before the cold weather sets in, 

 excepting in very highly favoured localities. 



