M<ui. 1922 



BETTER FRUIT 



Page Twentij-nine 



Swarming of Bees 



T¥7fIEX the llcid bcci .ire confined to their 

 hives by several diys of rain just previous 

 to or during: the swnrming- seison, the result may 

 be .1 g^reatly increised tendency to swarm. Some- 

 times two weeks of rain at nbnut the time of nor- 

 mal swarming- seTSon is followed by Intense swarm- 

 ing. When the field bees remain In their hives a 

 pirt of the time during the hnney-flow because the 

 flowers yield nectar erratically the tendency tn 

 swarm may be greatly increased. The presence of 

 the great mass of field bees within the hive during 

 the heat of the drty from any of these causes must 

 add greatly to the tendency to swarm, especially 

 when the bees crowd in great masses in the space 

 below the frames and in the lower portion of the 

 brood-chamber, as they usually do when they arc in 

 their hives temporarily during the honey-flow. 



There Is, of cour?e, no way by which the field 

 bees can be prevented from staying in their hives, 

 even if it were desirable tn do so, but by providing 

 a deep space below the frames and an abundance 

 of ventilation, together with adequate protection 

 from the direct rays of the sun, the discomfort of 

 the colony brought about by the field bees within 

 the hive during the day ni.iy be considerably re- 

 lieved. 



To prevent swarming to the greatest extent, says 

 a late government bulletin, It Is necessary to in- 

 duce most of the hive workers to leave the brood 

 nest early in their lives to take up work in the su- 

 pers, so that the bees of the hive are d'«trlbuted 

 over n large comb surface which, in turn, should 

 stimulate the field bees to go to the field In greater 

 numbers. During the heat of the day no more 

 bees should remain within the brood-chamber than 

 are needed for the work to be done there. Such 

 a distribution and employment of the hive workers 

 usually induces the field workers to put forth the 

 greatest energy in gathering nectar. 



After having used all the known preventative 

 measures, there will still be some colonies that 

 attempt to swarm in certain locations during some 

 scisons even in extracted-honey production, and In 

 comb-honey production a large percentage of c-'l,- 

 onles may attempt to swarm. In either case, but 

 especially in extracted-honey production, some 

 of these swarms are prob.ably a result of the im- 

 perfect application of preventative measures in 

 time to prevent the beginning of the series of 

 events which lead up to the actual issu-ng of the 

 swarm. 



The conditions within -be brond-ch imber arc 

 changed greatly by swarming, both in the swarm 

 and in the parent colony. In the swarm there are 

 no very young bees and, of course, no emerging 

 bee= during tlie first three v eeks. The workers 

 of the swarm that are not needed for the work 

 inside the new hive are old enough for work in 

 the fields, and when most of the bees of a colony 

 can go to the fields for nectar during the heat 

 of the day a surprisingly large number may be 

 massed together In one hive without causing a 

 stagnation of their activities. When the first 

 young bees begin to emerge three weeks later the 

 diily emergence of young Is small in comparison 

 with tiiat of a colony during the spring brood- 

 rearing period; therefore the «warms usually do 

 not become greatly c mgested with young bees again 

 during the same season. 



Swarms that are hived in an empty hive on a 

 neA location seldom swajm again In the same sea- 

 son, especially where the season Is stiort, but If 

 they arc hived on empty combs or combs containing 

 honey or a little . emerging brood they may do 

 so. Even when moSt of the workers of both the 

 parent colony and the swarm are reunited, or when 

 two or more swarms are hived together In one 

 hive, the bees are usually satisfied without fur- 

 ther sw.irming If plenty of room Is given In the 

 supers. 



The parent colony loses most of Its field workers 

 and the imeen when • a swarm issues, but it has 

 a large amount of brood and several queen cells 

 usu;i!!y sealed or nenly. ready to be scaled at the 

 time of the Issuing of the swarm. When the 

 young ipieens begin irx emerge about a week later 



Flavor is everything in chocolate. 

 Yet flavor is a spirited, "runaway " 

 thing. Constant "watch"* must be 

 held over it. So much do we think 

 of the flavor of Ghirardelli's 

 Ground Chocolate that not only 

 do we watch it carefully in the 

 blending— but we pack it only in 

 cans to safeguard it every step of 

 the way. That' s why Ghirardelli's 

 protects and preserves its flavor 

 until the last spoonful is used. 



Sincci852 D. GKIRAIIUELLICO. San Francisco 



Say 



"Gear~ar-delly 

 and send fir 

 recipe booklet 



GHIRARDELLIS 



(jwm^ 



CHOCOLATE 



If the beekeeper does not Interfere, the colony may 

 cast one or more afterswarms, each accompanied 

 by one or more of the recently emerged virgin 

 mieens. When there are no longer sufficient bees 

 left to divide up among the emerging queens, all 

 but one of the young queens are killed, this sur- 

 viving one in the normal course of events later be- 

 coming established as the new mother of the parent 

 colony. 



The rapid emergence of young bees soon restores 

 the parent colony to good strength, but when 

 swarming takes place during the honey-flow he 

 parent colony may not recover sufficient strength 

 in field workers to take an Important part In 

 gathering the season's crop of honey. After the 

 young queen becomes established a parent colony 

 •eldom swarms again in the- same season, even 

 though it may become quite populous and the sc.i- 

 son may be prosperous. 



Thus neither the swarm having the old queen 

 and the older bees in establishing itself In a new 

 home, nor the parent colony having the yciung 

 queen in reestablishing Itself In the old home, is 

 inclined to swarm again In the same season. In 

 each case there Is an Interruption In the emergence 

 of young bees. These are Important facts in the 

 control of swarming. 





FOR FARMERS WHO 

 GROW FRUIT 



Every farmer with an apple or 

 peach orchard will find much of in- 

 terest in each issue of this live 

 monthly bulletin. Published to pro- 

 mote better practice in handling 

 fruit crops. Subscription price one 

 dollar a year. Mailed FREE to any 

 large fruit packer or grower. 



Skinner Packing House News 



Tliird St. 

 DiMi.Jin Florida 



