Fig. 66.—Benton queen-introducing cage. (Original.)
The conditions necessary to success in introducing queens are complied with by the above plan, namely: The bees are queenless long enough to have become fully aware of the fact, yet usually not long enough to have started queen cells; the strange queen is caged a sufficient length of time to acquire the peculiar odor of the hive to which she is to be given; the bees are all at home when the queen is released, and thus all become thoroughly gorged with food and are well disposed toward the new queen. No robber-bees come about, and by morning all is in order.
As queens mate only once (p. 19), and workers and drones live but a few weeks or at most a few months (p. 20), if an Italian, a Carniolan, or other choice queen mated to a drone of her own race, be introduced to a given colony the bees of this colony will soon be replaced by others of the same race as the queen introduced. All of the colonies of an apiary may thus be changed; or, from a single breeding queen the apiary may be supplied with young queens pure in blood, and, since these (even though mated to drones of another race) will produce drones of their own blood the apiary will soon be stocked with males of the desired race.
CHAPTER X.
INCREASE OF COLONIES.
NATURAL SWARMING.
An abundant secretion of honey and general prosperity of the colony—with combs crowded with bees and brood—are the immediate conditions which incite a colony of bees to swarm. If a colony in prosperous condition be found when the gathering season has fairly opened, with eggs or larvæ in partly finished queen cells, a swarm may be expected in a few days should the weather continue favorable. The first one from a given hive usually issues within twenty-four to forty-eight hours after the sealing of the first queen cell. In the case of strong colonies this may occur in favored situations in the North early in May, in the Middle States in April, and in the extreme South in March. But most of the swarms will come, in each section, a month later. When the flow of honey is prolonged the period during which swarms may issue is also extended, and in case a second flow occurs in midsummer, after an interruption, a second swarming period may occur.
The outward indications immediately preceding swarming are a partial cessation of field work on the part of colonies that have been industriously gathering and the clustering or loitering of the workers about the entrances at times when they have usually been engaged in collecting and when other colonies no more populous are at work. Apparently many are awaiting the signal to migrate, while some seem not to have caught the spirit, but continue their field work. Suddenly great excitement seizes the workers that happen to be in the hive at the time. They rush forth pellmell, accompanied by the old queen, and after circling about for some minutes cluster on some neighboring tree or shrub.
It very rarely happens that a swarm fails to cluster before leaving, but it may do so if it has swarmed before and returned to the hive because the queen failed to accompany it. Spraying water on the leaders or advance portion of the swarm from a force pump, firing a gun among them, or throwing the reflection from a mirror on them will disconcert the absconding swarm and nearly always cause the bees to settle, but the remedy must be at hand and applied instantly.
