206 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



efforts in keeping in advance of the column, vigor- 

 ously throwing fresh plowed dirt and water amongst 

 them, they became confused, and finally, after going 

 a considerable distance, clustered. This plan we 

 have found the most efficient to confuse bees and 

 induce them to cluster; yet I believe that a shrill, 

 sharp sound in their immediate vicinity will prevent 

 them from communicating with each other by sound 

 when upon the wing, which, I think, they invariably 

 do ; they become confused, and in order to under- 

 stand each other they will cluster. It is safe to con- 

 clude that not more than one swarm in a hundred, 

 or perhaps in two hundred, will leave without first 

 clustering. 



DO BEES SEND SPIES TO SEEK A NEW HOME ? 



I think there is little doubt that bees, either before 

 or immediately after swarming and clustering, send 

 out spies to find a suitable place for the swarm to 

 lodge in ; and yet I much doubt whether or not any 

 uniform practice is observed by them in this matter. 

 In some cases they undoubtedly send out spies before 

 the swarm issues, as in the case mentioned of the 

 swarm proceeding to the tree without clustering ; in 

 other cases it is equally certain that spies are sent 

 after clustering. Indeed, I am pretty well satisfied 

 the latter course is the one generally practiced. In 

 some cases, however, it is quite probable that neither 

 plan has been observed. 



When a swarm sets out, either direct from the hive 

 or from where it has been clustered, and goes in a 



