The Cycle of the Year 
63 
may be delayed by inclement weather. 1 Swarming consists 
of the departure of the old queen with part 2 of the workers 
from the hive, leaving behind the brood, including the queen 
cells, some adult bees and the stores, except such honey as 
the workers are able to carry in their honey stomachs. 
Before leaving, the bees gorge themselves until the abdomens 
are distended and are thus provided with food for a few 
days, in case the weather is inclement. The queen usually 
lays fewer eggs just before swarming than is usual for that 
season and her abdomen often becomes smaller, enabling 
her to fly more easily. Frequently for a time before the 
issuing of the swarm, the work of the colony in gathering is 
decreased and many of the field bees remain at home, thereby 
crowding the hive. The swarm usually issues on a bright 
day about mid-day 3 and most of the workers in the hive at 
that time leave with the swarm. Those in the field at the 
time of swarming return to the hive and do not follow the 
swarm. 
Stimulus to leave the hive. 
The stimulus to the act of swarming is not understood, but 
it has been observed in hives with glass sides that bees in 
various parts of the hive show signs of excitement, which 
gradually spreads throughout the hive. Sometimes the 
queen leaves among the first but she usually remains inside 
until a considerable number have left the hive. Since a 
swarm sometimes issues without a queen, she can scarcely 
be considered the leader. This is also shown by the fact 
that when the queen is caged, as a means of swarm preven¬ 
tion, the bees sometimes swarm, leaving the queen in the cage. 
When a queen is disabled so that she cannot fly or is detained 
1 Races of bees differ somewhat in the time of swarming. Italians tend 
to swarm with the queen cells in an earlier stage of development than other 
races. 
2 Why some go and others remain is not known. They are not sepa¬ 
rated according to age nor duties. 
3 Swarms usually issue between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. but in warm sultry 
weather may come out earlier, or quite late in the afternoon. 
