36 
FORMATION OF SWARMS-, 
last victorious, reigns peaceably over 
the republic. 
Sometimes a swarm led forth by 
the old queen, will, in three weeks 
produce a new colony, which is also 
conducted by the same old queen. It 
may happen thus : The first operation 
of the bees of a hive is constructing 
the cells of workers, at which they 
labour with great ardour. The queen 
continues to lay workers eggs in these 
for about ten or eleven days, and at 
this time, portions of comb contain¬ 
ing large cells are fabricated* In 
these the queen begins to deposit 
drone egg s, though in much smaller 
numbers than at first, enough, however. 
i 
