WINTERING. 



481 



WINTERING. 



special feeding. So far the scheme of rais- 

 ing a large force of young bees is an impor- 

 tant requisite for either method of winter- 

 ing, but especially important where bees are 

 wintered outdoors subjected to extremes of 

 temperature requiring a large consumption 

 of stores in order to keep up necessary heat. 

 It is unwise to attempt to winter bees 

 outdoors in single-walled hives north of 40 

 degrees north latitude. While the colonies 

 may come through after a fashion, the shock 

 of the exposure will be so great that they 

 probably will not be good for much to gath- 

 er honey. It is, therefore, important that 



order to keep up the temperature. When, 

 therefore, a colony is so poorly protected 

 that it has to overeat in order to keep warm, 

 their intestines become distended, and dys- 

 entery or purging is almost sure to follow. 

 This occurring in mid-winter or early spring 

 means the death of the colony, as there is no 

 cure for it but warm weather. 



A hive having double walls well packed, 

 with warm cushions on top, and a good cov- 

 er, makes about as good a winter home as it 

 is possible to construct. A tray containing 

 chaff, planing-mill shavings, or forest- leaves 

 resting under the telescope cover keeps the 

 top warm. A large cushion may 

 be used instead but is not so 

 good. 



Because double - walled hives 

 are somewhat expensive, many 

 bee-keepers start with single- 

 thickness hives, intending to 

 winter, perhaps, indoors. How 

 shall they be prepared and yet 



Fig. 4.— The super-cover is uiade of 

 taree-eighths lumber, tin-bound at 

 the ends. This should be sealed 

 down by the bees to insure good win- 

 tering at Medina, and co\ ered with 

 the tray shown in Fig. 3. 



the hives be protected from high 

 winds, and that the walls sur- 

 rounding the hive be double and 

 warm. Special double - walled 

 hives are manufactured, having 

 the space between filled with 

 chaff, planer-shavings, leaves, or 

 other suitable material. (See Hives for de- 

 tail of construction.) Tlie cover or roof 

 should also be double so that the heat of the 

 cluster will not too readily radiate away, 

 thus causnig a great consumption of stores 

 in order to keep up the necessary animal 

 heat; for it should be remembered that, the 

 warmer and better protected the cluster, the 

 less honey they require to eat. It is desir- 

 able to have the bees, so far as possible, en- 

 ter a quiet state of sleep, or semi-hiberna- 

 tion, that practically amounts to a condition 

 of susi)ended animation. But an extremely 

 cold spell will make it necessary for this 

 cluster to unfold and consume its stores in 

 16 



Fig. 5 -Manner of pouring in feed frona a common watei-ing- 

 pot into a Doolittle division-board feeder. After sufficient 

 syrup is given, the feeder is removed, the combs are shoved 

 over, a division-board is inserted, and hive closed for winter. 



give as good results, practically, as can be 

 obtained from the more expensive double- 

 thickness hivesV Very good outside winter 

 cases are obtainable from supply-manu- 

 facturers, large enough to telescope down 

 over the hive. The cover of the single- 

 walled hive, if it projects over, as most of 

 them do, should be rem:)ved, and what is 

 known as a thin super-cover— that is. a thin 

 board of the same width and length as the 

 hive, substituted. Several folds of news- 

 paper, old carpeting, or any other suitable 

 material, should be laid crosswise and length- 

 wise over the top of the hive. Enough of 

 them should be put on so that, when the 



