Swarm Control and Increase 
267 
problem for the northern comb-honey producer, and from 
these men we have obtained the best systems for controlling 
swarming and also the most light on its cause. 
In the South, where the honey-flows are longer and less 
intense, swarming is less frequent, and this is also true in the 
irrigated regions of the West. In those regions of the tropics 
where the honey-flows are practically continuous, there may 
be a kind of swarming season, but swarms are so much less 
frequent that the northern beekeeper would not consider 
the control of swarming a serious problem in such a 
locality. 
Variation in colonies in respect to swarming preparations. 
In any apiary and in almost any season, colonies differ 
greatly in their propensity to swarm. (1) There are some 
which show no indication of swarming. These are the very 
best for honey-production and the beekeeper should aim 
to increase their number. (2) Other colonies show a tend¬ 
ency to swarm by starting queen cells, but may be deterred 
either by cutting out the newly started queen cells or by tak¬ 
ing away some combs of brood. (3) Still other colonies 
are more persistent and will swarm if the honey-flow continues 
unless they are subjected to some radical manipulations. 
(4) Some colonies whose queens fail swarm in connection 
with the supersedure of the old queen. 
“Of 160 colonies run for comb honey that were fair sub¬ 
jects for comparison, 13| per cent went through the season 
without ever offering to start queen-cells; 12| per cent 
started cells one or more times, but gave it up when their 
cells were destroyed; and 73f per cent seemed so bent on 
swarming that they were treated by being kept queenless 
10 or 15 days. The colonies that were left with their queens 
all the time averaged 36§ per cent more sections than those 
that were treated. But that’s better than they would have 
done if left queenless for 21 days, which would be the case 
practically if swarms were shaken.” — C. C. Miller, 1905, 
“Gleanings in Bee Culture,” XXXIII, p. 1174. 
