PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



135 



moment, a sonorous hum will be excited, and the workers, as 

 if seized with a panic terror, may be seen quitting their 

 various labours, and running off in different directions. At 

 these moments if a young queen goes out, she will be followed 

 by a numerous troop. 



Huber has given a very lively and interesting account of 

 the interior proceedings of the hive on this occasion. The 

 queen, as soon as she began to exhibit signs of agitation, no 

 longer laid her eggs with order as before, but irregularly, as 

 if she did not know what she was about. She ran over the 

 bees in her way ; they in their turn struck her with their 

 antennae, and mounted upon her back ; none offered her honey, 

 but she helped herself to it from the cells in her path. The 

 usual homage of a court attending round her was no 

 longer paid. Those, however, that were excited by her 

 motions followed her, rousing such as were still tranquil upon 

 the combs. She soon had traversed the whole hive, when 

 the agitation became general. The workers, now no longer 

 attentive to the young brood, ran about in all directions ; even 

 those that returned from foraging, before the agitation was 

 at its height, no sooner entered the hive than they participated 

 in these tumultuous movements, and, neglecting to free them- 

 selves from the masses of pollen on their hind legs, ran wildly 

 about. At length there was a general rush to the outlets of 

 the hive, which the queen accompanied, and the swarm took 

 place. 1 



It is to be observed that this agitation, excited by the 

 queen, increases the customary heat of the hive to a very 

 high temperature, which the action of the sun augments till 

 it becomes intolerable, and which often causes the bees accu- 

 mulated near the mouth of the hive to perspire so copiously, 

 that those near the bottom, who support the weight of the 

 rest, appear drenched with the moisture. This intolerable 

 heat determines the most irresolute to leave the hive. Im- 

 mediately before the swarming, a louder hum than usual is 

 heard ; many bees take flight ; and if the queen be at their 

 head, or soon follows them, in a moment the rest rise in 



i Huber, i. 251. 

 K 4 



