ENTRANCES TO HIVES. 



154 



ENTRANCES TO HIVES. 



tions, if hindering to the bees, are wasteful 

 to the l)ee-keeper. 



It is impossible to estimate just how 

 mucli the loss in honey is; but if the actual 

 figures could be secured the producer woidd 

 be surprised. When it is such an easy mat 

 ter to cut away the weeds, or keep them 

 Hway from the entrance with a little sprin- 

 kling of salt or with a wide board, it is "pen- 

 ny wise and pound foolish" to wear out the 

 wings of our little servants trying to pass 

 this obstruction, at the same time delaying 

 them when every moment counts. Farmer 



laid directly on the ground, abutting up close 

 to the bottom-board if it rests on or close to 

 the ground. No grass or weeds can grow, 

 of course, where these boards are laid : and 

 general practice shows it is cheaper and bet- 

 ter to use such boai^s than to be compelled 

 to use salt or cut down the obstructions 

 every few weeks in front of the hive. 



The cut in the opposite column contains a 

 suggestion which can be very easily applied 

 to the cleated boards just described. Bend 

 some iron wires, aboiit No. 8, as shown 

 with hook at each end. Drive one of the 



bee-keepers especially seem to have the idea 

 that bees will work for nothing and board 

 themselves, and in three cases out of rive 

 one will rind the entrances of their hives, 

 what few they may have, all tangled up 

 with grass and weeds. On mornings when 

 there is a heavy dew such obstruction is 

 very considerable. 



Very many use a scythe, lawn-mower, or 

 a common sickle, to cut down the grass. 

 Others keep it down with a small handful of 

 salt scattered around the front of the hive. 



Still others prefer to use a piece of board 

 about a foot wide or more, and as long as 

 the hive is wide. Rough unplaned lumber 

 of the cheapest kind would be better than 

 clear planed stuff, as the bees can cling to it 

 better. The boards should be cleated, and 



hooks into the board as here illustrated, and 

 secure in position by means of a common 

 blind staple near the other edge. If the 

 wires are cut right, this alighting-board can 

 be easily hooked into the entrance and make 

 a nice easy grade from the ground up to the 

 hive. At any time these alighting-boards 

 can be unhooked so that the grass can be 

 cut down with a lawn-mower and then 

 replaced. 



SIZE OF ENTRANCES. 



This depends on the season of the year, the 

 size of the colony, and whether the bees are 

 wintered indoors or out. During the height 

 of the honey-flow the aperture should be as 

 large as the bottom-board or hive will per- 

 mit — not less than i inch deey) by the width 

 of the hive. Experience has shown that a 

 contracted opening does not give the bees 

 sufficient ventilation ; and the result is, the 

 great mass of bees are forced out of the 

 hive, where they will loaf day after day, do- 

 ing nothing. When they once get into the 

 Soaring habit they will be much inclined to 

 swarm, to say nothing about wasting valu- 

 able time during that part of the season 

 when, if ever, they should bring in money in 

 return for all the labor expended on them. 



Where one uses hives of the loose-bottom 

 type, he can usually cure this clustering out 



