26 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The bees cluster in a more or less compact mass for mutual warmth, 

 and when so clustered build their combs and care for their young. 

 Within that cluster the temperature during the active season is close 

 to 98° F. The greater the number of bees the easier it is for them 

 to maintain throughout the hive the necessary temperature. If 

 colonies are not populous the bees have to cluster more compactly, 

 the queen's room for laying is restricted, and during the harvest time 

 the field force may only be able to get food enough for themselves 

 and the nurses and young. 



In the winter a good colony of bees contains from 3,000 to 6,000 

 workers. Along about the first of January, in this latitude, the 

 queen begins to lay, slowly increasing her laying as the season 

 advances. As the young bees begin to emerge from the comb the 

 queen becomes more active and, if everj-thing is normal, by the 

 time fruit trees bloom, the whole ten combs will contain some brood, 

 most of the combs being well filled. A colony in such condition is 

 ready for the harvest. 



If the inquisitive bee-keeper frequently opens the hive in the 

 spring, or keeps out combs unduly at that chilly season, abnormal 

 conditions are produced and the colony will not be as strong or may 

 even be destroyed. 



SWARMING. 



As the season progresses and the population of the hive increases, 

 preparations for swarming may be made. Queen cells are built, and 

 when the young queens are nearly ready to hatch, the swarm emerges, 

 usually on some sunny morning. They pour out like a torrent of 

 water and rapidly rising into the air, dart and circle about, finally 

 beginning to gather on some limb or other object, and soon are all 

 clustered in a big irregular mass. If not taken down and hived 

 they will seek some cavity and enter it. Occasionally a swarm builds 

 its combs to the limbs on which it clusters. It cannot survive the 

 winter in such condition. Within the hive or cavity they again 

 cluster, and most of them remain very quiet. Slowly the wax scales 



