128 
THE HITE AND ITONET-BEE. 
collected around her in very large numbers. After 
remaining in the air a short time, she returned to tho 
entrance of her hive, exhibiting to the spectators tho 
organs of the drone still protruding from her body. 
The queen usually begins laying about two days after 
impregnation, and for the first season, lays almost entirely 
the eggs of workers ; no males* being needed in colonies 
which will throw no swarm till another season. She is 
seldom treated with much attention by the bees until after 
she has begun to replenish the cells with eggs; although 
if previously deprived of her, they show, by their despair, 
that they fully appreciated her importance to their welfare. 
A first swarm will sometimes swarm again, about a 
month after it is hived ; but in Northern climates this is a 
rare occurrence. In South-western Texas, I have known 
even second swarms to do the same thing, and colonies 
often swarm there in September and October, while in 
tropical climates, swarms issue at any season when for.vo 
is abundant. In our Northern and Middle States, swarm- 
ing is usually over, three or four weeks after it begms. 
Inexperienced bee-keepers, unaware of this, often watch 
their Apiaries, long after the swarming season has passed. 
I shall now, while giving such directions for hiving 
swaiins as may aid even some experienced Apiarians, at- 
tempt to make them sufficiently minute to guide those, 
her; bo tint she Is not molested, even if thousands ore members of tho some 
colony with herself. 
* llaber supposed that male eggs were not developed In her ovaries until the 
second year; but as the sex depends upon tho Impregnation of tho eggs, ho was 
evidently mistaken. In warm climates, whore after-swarms swarm again, drones 
are bred in large numbers in hives having young queens. The bee is evidently a 
native of a hot climate, although it can live wherever there is a Summer long 
enough for it to prepare for Winter. Its complete development, however, can bo 
witnessed only in tropical regions, and I am persuaded that many things which. 
In colder climates, have been regarded as fixed laws, are only exceptional udap- 
intions to unfavorable circumstances. 
