ADAPTATION SHOWN IN THE HONEY-BEE 49 
where the old one was. Bee-keepers, during the swarming 
period, always have a number of empty hives in position 
ready for the swarm to occupy. 
The returning bees enter the new hive in search of the 
queen. As they are rushing in, the queen with clipped 
wings is released, and she, 
in turn, joins the proces¬ 
sion and enters with the 
others. Having found the 
queen and plenty of room, 
the colony is usually con¬ 
tent to remain. Sometimes 
swarming becomes a mania 
with certain colonies, and 
it is difficult to get them 
to settle down contentedly 
in a hive and make honey. 
Runaway swarms have to 
be watched with great pa¬ 
tience. Bees that have 
been raised for many bee 
generations in man-made 
hives sometimes leave 
suddenly and seek out a 
hollow tree in the forests. 
The length of the bee’s 
life varies. The drones 
are usually killed at the 
end of their first season. Queens live for five or six or even 
ten years. Workers live three or four weeks in the working 
season and several months in the fall or winter. 
The honey and wax produced annually in the United 
States are valued at $22,000,000. 
30. Adaptation Shown in the Honey-bee. — The tongue 
is adapted to getting nectar from certain flowers like apple 
Figure 38. — Capturing a Swarm. 
