WINTERING. 487 



WINTEBINQ IN CELLABS OB SPE- 

 CIAL BEPOtSlTOBIES. 



In discussing methods for wintering bees 

 outdoors, we liave already given some prin- 

 ciples that apply to cellar wintering. In the 

 first place, we may say that bees do not re- 

 quire more than 10 or 15 lbs. of stores per 

 colony, although it is an advantage to have 

 more, because it is difficult to feed bees in 

 the spring. With a strong force of young 

 bees and good stores we are well equipped 

 to winter bees in the cellar, provided we 

 have reasonable control of temperature and 

 means for ventilation. Before we go into 

 the general subject of cellar wintering it 

 is perhaps, important to specify two or three 



WINTERING. 



IMPORTANT REQUISITES FOR A GOOD BEE- 

 CELLAR. 



First is the cordrol of temperature. The 

 ideal temperature is about 45 degrees F. 

 It may go up to 50 or it may go down to 40 ; 

 where possible the extremes should not ex- 

 ceed these figures. A greater variation early 

 in the winter does less harm than later. As 

 the winter approaches spring it becomes in- 

 creasingly important that tlie temperature 

 be held as nearly as possible at 45. If it goes 

 too high the windows should be opened at 

 night— never in day time — to let in air, and 

 closed just before daylight. If it becomes 

 too cold, so the temperature goes down be- 

 low 40, or near freezing, artificial heat must 

 be used. To that end a small stove connect- 

 ed with a chimney may be used to advantage. 

 Build just enough fire to raise the tempera- 

 ture to 45 or a little more. As a general 

 thing it will not be necessary to have a 

 stove; for enough bees in the cellar will keep 

 up the temperature by their own body heat_ 

 If a repository during the winter can not be 

 kept cool enough by opening the windows at 

 night, and closing them in the morning, it 

 goes to show very plainly that the bee-keep- 

 er had better adopt outdoor wintering, as his 

 climate is not cold enough to keep a cool cel- 

 lar. A cellar that has a tendency to be too 

 warm most of the time is a very poor place 

 in which to w inter bees. But one where the 

 temperature can be keiit uniformly at 45, not 

 varying more than tw^o or three degrees 

 through the day, will not require much ven- 

 tilation. Such a cellar must be mainly under 

 ground, and should have double doors to 

 shut out frost, as well as double windows, if 

 any. 



It is important that the cellar be kept dark 

 at all times; and by dark we mean absolutely 

 so, without any light penetrating anywhere. 



It is im])ortant, also, that the cellar be 

 reasonably dry, although bees have winter- 

 ed fairly well in damp cellars. If it is damp, 

 the bottom muddy, and the temperature 

 down much below 45, the effect on bees 

 would not be satisfactory. 



VENTILATION. 



Authorities are not all agreed as to wheth- 

 er a bee- cellar should be ventilated or not. 

 The question of air change depends almost 

 entirely on the temperature of the cellar and 

 its control. If the mercury can be kept uni- 

 formly at 45 throughout the entire winter 

 with not more than two or three degrees 

 variation it may be said that very little 

 ventilation of the cellar will be needed ; but 

 if it has a tendency to go to 60 or more, then 

 down, and especially if the bees begin to roar, 

 showing uneasiness, then it is very impor- 

 tant to let in large quantities of fresh air by 

 opening the cellar-windows at night, or 

 through sub- earth ventilators, as used by 

 some. But if windows are opened they must 

 be closed before daylight in order to shut out 

 light. Some have found it better to let fresh 

 air into an outer cellar and from there into 

 the inner cellar where the bees are. It has 

 been argued that air directly from outdoors 

 has a tendency to stir up the bees; yet we 

 have not found it so. Our experience is 

 that, when bees are uneasy by being too 

 warm, it is also because the air is foul. The 

 obvious remedy is to let in cool air from the 

 outside to reduce the temperature, and at 

 the same time supply fresh oxygen. 



Cellars should be large in proportion to 

 the number of bees kept in them. A room 

 12 by 12, and 7 feet deep, will winter 50 colo- 

 nies much better than it will 100. Ten colo- 

 nies will come through in better condition 

 than 50. The reason of this is simply a ques- 

 tion of pure air. In some cases one may 

 have access to a larger cellar that opens up 

 into other compartments. If these com- 

 partments are not used, leave the doors 

 open !^o tliat the air of the entire cellar can be 

 available for the bees. A bee-cellar only 10 

 by 10, 7 feet deep, should not be used to win- 

 winter more than 100 colonies, and will give 

 better results with 50. A larger number 

 may, of course, be crowded in, and will win- 

 ter properly if enough ventilation can be 

 given both day and night, keeping the tem- 

 perature down to about 45. 



SUB-EARTH VENTILATORS. 



The sub-ventilator should be from four to 

 six inches in diameter, made of tile, about 

 100 feet long, and from four to six feet below 



