204 
Psyche 
[September-December 
li Nbi 
i Nb 2 
H Sw 
20 
380 m 
Fig. 2. Experimental array for testing preference in swarm dispersal distance. 
H, hive; Sw, swarm on wooden cross; Nb, nestbox. In the five trials of the test, 
the hive and swarm were alternately positioned near nestbox 1 or nestbox 2, always 
maintaining the distance relationships shown. All distances are in meters. The ob- 
jects in this figure and the spacings between objects are not drawn to the same scale. 
swarm was prepared from the hive as described above, but with 
the difference that each swarm was confined and fed in the swarm 
cage for only one hour. Following this brief confinement each 
swarm was placed on a wooden cross located between the parent 
hive and the nearby nestbox, 10 m from the former and 20 m from 
the latter. Thus a swarm cluster was established a natural distance 
from its parent colony and 20 and 400 m from two otherwise 
closely matched nest sites, as shown in Fig. 2. The parent hive 
and swarm were placed at opposite ends of the nestbox array on 
alternate trials. This provided control for possible differences be- 
tween the nestboxes besides distance from the swarm. 
We monitored each swarm’s selection of a nest site by reading 
the recruitment dances as described above. But besides following 
the dances on the swarm, we periodically (at least hourly) meas- 
ured the number of scout bees visible at each nestbox by making 
10 counts, each count 15 seconds apart, while standing directly in 
front of a nestbox. Both near and far nestboxes were always rap- 
idly discovered by the scout bees. Each morning, before the bees 
started flying, we inspected the interior of both nestboxes. Often 
2 to 10 ants were found in the nestboxes and were promptly re- 
moved and killed. One morning during the second trial a complete 
ant colony (queen, workers and brood) was discovered in the far 
nestbox. This nestbox was quickly sealed with the ants inside, re- 
moved and replaced with a new nestbox. This was the only nest- 
box change performed during the experiment. 
