208 NATURAL SWARMING. 
ation. Seeming to have a presentiment that they must 
perish if they stay, instead of awaiting the sure approach 
of famine, they sally out to see if they cannot better their 
condition. Such desertions should not be mistaken for 
natural swarming. 
408. The time, when new swarms may be expected, 
depends, of course, upon the climate, the forwardness of the 
season, and the strength of the colonies. In our Northern 
and Middle States, they seldom issue before the latter part 
of May; and June may there be considered as the great 
swarming month. In Brownsville, Texas, on the lower Rio 
Grande, bees often swarm quite early in March. 
Swarming does not always take place in Spring, although 
this is the usual time for it. Swarms are likely to issue in 
any locality, whenever the hive is crowded for room, or 
nearly so, during a good and prolonged honey-harvest. In 
warm latitudes, it lasts for several months, owing to a con- 
tinuous flow of honey. Wherever there are two distinct 
honey crops (705), there are also two swarming seasons, 
especially along the low lands or river bottoms, where 
Fall pasturage is abundant. Swarms, hived during the fore- 
part of either of these honey seasons, are always the best; 
having a few weeks of honey crop before them, they have 
ample time to build comb (198), and fill it with honey and 
brood; while swarms which are cast during the latter part 
of either the clover or the Fall harvest, coming as they do, 
fust before a dearth of honey, are unable to build comb and 
raise brood, and easily perish, if left to themselves. Thus, 
a swarm harvested in August, in this latitude, at the open- 
ing of the Fall crop, stands better chances than one har- 
vested in July, at the close of the clover and basswood 
crop. 
