200 SIGNS OF THE DEPARTURE OF A SECOND SWARM. 



as none of those preparatory signs are displayed, which 

 mark the rising of the first. We will, however, give those 

 secondary signs by which some tolerably accurate notion may 

 be formed of the departure of a second swarm. It may 

 generally be looked for from the 4th to the 8th day after 

 the first swarm ; some hives however never throw a second 

 swarm at all, and this may in some degree be ascertained 

 by inspecting the hive immediately after the first swarm has 

 departed. If the combs be bare and destitute of brood, if 

 the supernumerary princesses be seen dead before the hive, 

 if the bees tear from the cells the nymphs of the drones, no 

 second swarm is to be expected. 



Independently of the dead queens which are thrown out 

 of the hive, it must also be examined if the bees tear the 

 royal nymphs from the cells ; the massacre of the queens is 

 then a certain sign, that there will not be a second swarm; 

 but if the bees be satisfied with killing only some queens, 

 without destroying the nymphs at the same time, the chances 

 of a second swarm then are great, and for the following 

 reason. It often occurs, that previously to the departure of 

 the first swarm, there are three or four queens in a hive, or 

 in an embryo state, and from an innate sense of independence, 

 each is ready to place herself at the head of the new colony. 

 Of these three or four queens, but one, and seldom two, 

 depart with the first swarm, and the others remain in the 

 hive, probably to place themselves at the head of the second 

 swarm. The bees, however, seeing that the population is not 

 sufficient to support a second emigration, before the brood 

 could furnish fresh recruits, sometimes kill all the super- 

 numerary queens which are hatched, especially if they have 

 exhibited any proof of rebellion against the mother queen, 

 for it has sometimes happened that the young queens, full 

 of ambition, have succeeded in dethroning and usurping her 

 place. Thus, whilst the population of the second swarm is 

 completing, other queens are born, who depart with them. 



