144 
SWARMS. 
soon as hatched, sets out in search of the males, and 
is impregnated, no further emigration will take place, 
because, being now about to become a mother, — the 
character to which alone the bees render their homage, 
— she enters into the full possession of her rights, 
and is allowed to attack and destroy all the unhatched 
royal brood. And, further ; swarming is equally at an 
end, when, after the departure of the first colony, the 
remaining population is too small to keep up a vigilant 
guard over the royal cells. In that case, as if aware of 
the impossibility of a second emigration, the beesaban- 
don the watch, and the young Queens, leaving their 
cells, engage in mutual combat till all are destroyed ex- 
ceptonc, who reigns undisputed sovereign. But in ordi- 
nary circumstances, the agitation of the Queen, abun- 
dance of brood, a favourable season, and, perhaps, 
other causes unknown to us, all lead to farther emi- 
gration, and, in populous hives, this may take place 
three and even four times. The interval between the 
first and second swarm is from eight to twelve days ; 
it is of a shorter duration between the second and 
third, and still less between the third and fourth ; in 
fact, when a fourth does take place, it is always on 
the day following the departure of the third.* 
It may appear surprising that a hive can swarm so 
often without being too much weakened. The first 
swarm is frequently so largo that the hive seems alto- 
gether deserted, yet, in eight or ten days afterwards, 
the population is in such abundance as to be able to 
send forth another colony. But we must remember 
* Feburier, Traits dea Abeilles. 
