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How Far Will They Go In Search Of A Home?

Categories: SWARMING.
Bee Keeping: Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained

How far they will travel in search of a home, is also uncertain. I have

heard of their going seven miles, but could not learn how the fact was

proved. I have no experience of my own in this matter, but will relate

a circumstance that happened near me a few years since. A neighbor was

ploughing, when a swarm passed over him; being near the earth, he

"pelted them heartily" with the loose dirt he had ploughed up, which

se
med to bring them up, or rather down, as they clustered on a very

low bush; they were hived, and gave no further trouble. A man living

some three miles from this neighbor, on that day hived a swarm about

eleven o'clock, and left them to warm up in the sun as described a page

or two back; about three o'clock their stock of patience was probably

exhausted, when they resolved to seek a better shelter. They put off in

a great hurry, not even waiting to thank their owner for the spread on

his table, and the sweet-scented "yarbs" and good things with which he

had rubbed their hive. They gave him no notice whatever of their

intention to "quit," until they were moving! With all their goods ready

packed, they were soon under way, accompanied by their owner with

music; but whether they marched with martial precision, keeping time,

is uncertain. In this case the bees took the lead; the man with his

tin-pan music kept the rear, and was soon at a respectful distance.

They were either not in a mood, just then, to be charmed by melodious

sounds, or their business was too urgent to allow them to stop and

listen! Their means of locomotion being superior to his, he gave up in

despair, out of breath, after following about a mile. Another person,

about the same time in the day, saw a swarm moving in the same

direction of the first; he also followed them till compelled to yield

to their greater travelling facilities. A third discovered their flight

and attempted a race, but like the others soon came out behind. The

before-mentioned neighbor saw them, and thought of the fresh earth that

he had ploughed up, which he threw among them till they stopped. How

much farther they would have gone, if any, would be guessing. That it

was the same swarm that started three miles away, appears almost

certain; the direction was the same as seen by all, until they were

stopped; the time in the day also exactly corresponded.



We will now return to the issuing of the swarms. There will be some

emergencies to provide for, and some exceptions to notice.



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