BEES’ HABITS AND PRODUCTS 45 
being on the wing together, taking the appear- 
ance of a living cloud. They are perfectly 
docile and will allow the spectator to stand 
among them provided they are not provoked. 
Of course this is easily done: the mere getting 
entangled in the hair of the onlooker is suf- 
ficient to rouse their anger. Any symptoms 
of nervousness, too, seem to become apparent 
at once to the bees, and perspiration, again, is 
objectionable to them. But an expert bee- 
handler may lift a swarm with his hands and 
suffer no ill, for so long as they are not 
crushed the bees will not resent the handling. 
It is seldom that a first swarm issues from 
the hive other than when the weather is warm 
and the sun shining. Generally it is between 
9 a.m. and 4 p.m. that swarming takes place. 
First swarms are usually the largest, for when 
the joyful hum of the rising swarm sounds 
forth many of the bees from adjoining hives 
will be drawn to join the swarm and are re- 
ceived in a friendly manner. 
Virgin Swarms.—The bees of a swarm 
will often follow a virgin queen when she 
goes out to seek a mate, the bees apparently 
thinking that if she is lost they will die. It is 
therefore advisable that a hive which is known 
to contain a virgin swarm should have the 
