Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-08-10
How to Detect swarming.

The first indication or swarming Is
the laying Of eggs in the drone comb.
While the presence of eggs in the
drome-cells is not sure sign that
swarm will issue, yet as far as have
observed swarms never do issue with
out eggs being laid therein. If the
weather is propitious the next step is
the building of queen-cells, soon after
which the queen deposits eggs in
them. In three days these eggs hatch
into larvae and these larvae are fed
an abundance of food by the nurse
bees for six days, when the cells con-
tanning the embryo queens are sealed
over.
If no bad weather intervenes the
swarm issues the next day, the old
queen going with the swarm. Bear in
mind that this is the rule with the
black or German bees and generally
with other races; still, the Italians
often swarm when the eggs are first
laid in the queen-cells and some with
out the least preparation except
drones in time when swarming runs
high in an apiary. l find, as a rule,
that the first queen energies from her
cell from six to seven days after the,
swarm issues. If more swarms are
allowed, they come forth two days
later, or from the eighth to ninth
day after the first and never later
than the sixteenth day.
AS soon as 1t is decided that no
more swarms shall issue, all queens
in the cells are destroyed, when in
from five to nine days the young
queen goes out to be fortified, two
days after which she commences to
lay. If the apiarists stops all after
Swarming by the cutting of the queen
cells, or by other means that keeps
all of the bees in the old hive to-
gether after the first issue, find that
the young queen is much slower in
going out on her wedding trip and
often does not commence to lay till
from the twelfth to the sixteenth
day.
Taking one season with another
the bulk of surplus honey is gathered
by the first or prime-swarm. This
being true, it is best to allow only
one swarm to issue from each hive.
To prevent after swarms, place the
newly hived swarm on it's original
stand and move the hive from which
the swarm has issued to a new loca-
ton. 1t is from this old hive, of
course, that after-swarms may be et-
pected to issue.
About the time the queen cells are
to hatch affix an entrance guard of
perforated zinc to the hive. After a
few days several dead queens will be
found at the hive entrance. Now re-
move the entrance guard and You
have remaining undoubtedly the best
queen of the lot, after the plan of the
survival Of the fittest. Putting on
sections is an important part of
apiary work. If the first lot of sec
tions is not placed on the hives at
the proper time the amount of honey
secured from any given colony will
be greatly reduced. If put on too
late the bees will have begun making
preparations to swarm. 1t is better
NAi thO "AOiO " PuI bhOAh Oh q AhIlo
too early than too late. A colony
with abundant entrance for air is less
inclined to swarm than 1t otherwise
would be. Raising the hive by put
ting an inch block under each corner,
leaving the hive open all around. can
hardly be beaten for giving plenty Of
air. But do not hope that the plan
of giving plenty of air will suffice
to keep bees from swarming entirely.
F. G. Herman, in The Epitomist.