AKTIFIOIAL SWAEMING. 159 



explorers are rapidly reinforced, the ventilators suspend 

 tbeir operations, and soon tlie air is filled M-ith bees. If 

 the}- cannot find the queen, they return to their old stand, 

 and if no hive is there, wUl soon enter one of the adjoin- 

 ing colonies. If their queen is restored to them soon 

 after they miss her, those running out of the hive ^\'ill 

 maie a half-circle, and return ; the joyful news is quickly 

 communicated to those on the wing, who forthwith alight 

 and enter the hive ; all appearance of agitated running 

 about on the outside of the hive, ceases, and ventilation, 

 with its joyful hum, is again resumed.* If the bees re- 

 main quiet in the new hive, for about fifteen miuutes, the 

 queen is almost certainly with them. 



If the Apiarian, in making his artificial swarm, does not 

 see the queen, he must wait untU the bees show, by their 

 conduct, whether she is with them or not. If they begin 

 to leave tj^e hive, the entrance must be closed, to confine 

 -them imtil the parent-stock can be drummed again, and 

 the queen, if possible, secured. If she cannot be induced 

 to leave the parent-stock, and another cannot be had to 

 supply her place, the bees must be returned, and the 

 driving resumed at another time. A queen, however, 

 which does not go up the first time, is very apt to persist 

 in her refiisal. 



In forcing a swarm, I have directed that it be done when 



* To ■witness these interesting proceedings, it is only necessary to catch the 

 queen, and keep her until she is missed by her colony. For greater security, I 

 usually confine her, when taken from the hees, in a small paper-funnel, with 

 twisted ends, from which she may bo easily taken. » 



It is a mistake to suppose that a swarm will not enter a hive unless the queen 

 Is with them. If some start for it, the others will speedily follow, all seeming to 

 take foi granted that the queen is somewhere among them. Even after they 

 begin to disperse in search of her, they may often be induced to return, by pour- 

 ing out a fresh lot of bees, which, by entering the hive with fanning wings, causo 

 the others to believe that the queen is coming at last. 



Bees wliich miss their queen, under such circumstances, will accept of any one 

 that may be offeVcfl them ; and mj^ often be pacified with worker-comb. 



