23 



NATURAL SWABMINO. 



throng the entrance, if the weather is warm and pastuiage abund 

 ant, a few queen cells will be commenced at different times by 

 the workers. These, in most cases, are suspended from the edges 

 or inequalities of the combs, with their open end downward. 

 From three to ten queen cells are commonly constructed, and the 

 egg or larvae, is lavishly supplied with " royal jelly," a pungent, 

 stimulating, light cream-colored substance, when the cell is furthei 

 lengthened down and sealed over. It is now about an inch long, 

 and resembles a pea-nut in shape and appearance. In movable 

 comb hives, these queen cells are easily found by looking over 

 the combs about the time swarms are expected. You can hardly 

 mistake them even though you never saw 



one before. It is better to swarm bees 

 artificially and not wait for natural 

 swarming. But since bees (will) some- 

 times swarm when carefully managed, 

 and since beekeepers are sometimes un- 

 able for some reason to give attention 

 before they swarm, all should understand 

 the indications of swarming and the 

 modes of hiving swarms. Bees are not 

 apt to swarm before the hive is strong in 

 numbers, young bees are hatching in 

 4. Thh cut represents brood in vaiioua abundance, drones are fivinff and ihfl 



•tages from eggs and larvee in the lower J o» «"*«■ mo 



part of the comb to brood capped at B, ,, 



and just emergidg at r; n, is a queen weather is pleasant. These are not how- 

 ceii just commenced from larva;; B, a ' 

 perfect queen cell capped ovc; a, a cell . -,. 



from which the queon ha8 just emerged. 6V6r, SUre indications of S Warming. 



