ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 
159 
explorers are rapidly reinforced, the ventilators suspend 
their operations, and soon the air is filled with bees. If 
they cannot find the queen, they return to their old stand, 
and if no hive is there, will soon enter one of the adjoin¬ 
ing colonies. If their queen is restored to them soon 
after they iniss her, those running out of the hive will 
make a half-circle, and return; the joyful news is quickly 
communicated to those on the wing, who forthwith alight 
and enter the hive ; all appearance of agitated running 
about on the outside of the hive, ceases, and ventilation, 
with its joyful hum, is again resumed.* If the bees re¬ 
main quiet in the new hive, for about fifteen minutes, the 
queen is almost certainly with them. 
If the Apiarian, in making his artificial swarm, docs not 
see the queen, he must wait until the bees show, by their 
conduct, whether she is with them or not. If they begin 
to leave the hive, the entrance must be closed, to confine 
them until the parent-stock can be drummed again, and 
the queen, if possible, secured. If she cannot be induced 
to leave the parent-stock, and another cannot be had to 
supply her place, the bees must be returned, and the 
driving resumed at another time. A queen, however, 
which does not go up the first time, is very apt to persist 
in her refusal. * 
Iu forcing a swarm, I have directed that it be done when 
* To witness these interesting proceedings, it is only necessary to catch the 
queen, nnd keep her until she is missed by her colony. For greater security, I 
usually confine her, when taken from the bees, in a small paper-funnel, with 
twisted ends, from which she may be easily taken. 
It is a mistake to suppose that a swarm will not enter a hive unless the queen 
Is with them. If some start for it, the others will speedily follow, all seeming to 
take foi granted that the queen is somewhore among them. Even after they 
beirin to disperse in search of her, they may often be induced to icturn, by pour¬ 
ing out a fresh lot of bees, which, by entering the hive with faunlng wings, cause 
the others to believe that the queen is coming at last. 
Bees which miss their queen, under such circumstances, will accept of uny one 
•hut may be offered them; and may often be pacified with worker-comb. 
