3i6 



journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [lo May, 191 i. 



In Australia, we have no such difficulties, and in consequence bee- 

 keepers pay toO' little attention to the subject of wintering so far as the 

 condition of their colonies at the beginning of winter is concerned. Yet 

 it is the condition of a colony, as to quantity and quality of stores, age 

 and vigour of queen, and number of worker bees at the end of one season, 

 which largely determines the prosperity of, and the yield of honey from, 

 that colony in the season following. 



Packing of hives, as practised in colder countries, is not necessary 

 here, but upper stories of empty combs should be removed from the hives, 

 taken indoors, and stacked up and secured against bee moths. The 

 removal of all spare combs and boxes does not only prevent loss of 

 animal heat by radiation, and the unnecessary consumption of stores to 

 replace this loss, but it also compels the bees to store any thin honey, 

 which they may still gather, into combs covered by bees ; . it will there 

 ripen, instead of souring as it does when stored in combs outside the 

 cluster of bees. Watery honey, when consumed during inactivity, is with- 

 out doubt detrimental to bees, particularly when it contains such a high 



APIARY SHOWING HIVES SHUT DOWN FOR THE WINTER. 



percentage of nitrogenous matter, as is present in the honey from our 

 winter-flowering iron-bark trees. The consumption of watery food during 

 winter causes ordinary dysentery, and probably also provides a suitable 

 medium for the multiplication of the Nosema apis parasite and the growth 

 of fungi in the intestinal tract. At the same time, the more rapid accu- 

 mulation of faecal matter in the intestine compels the bees to take cleansing 

 flights during unsuitable temperatures, resulting in loss through chilling 

 and failure to return to the hive. 



Methods of wintering differ with bee-keepers, and also in localities. 

 Some leave the supers on the hives whether full or empty, others put the 

 empty stories underneath the brood chamber, while yet others remove tl'.e 

 supers altogether and shut the bees down on the combs of the single 

 brood chamber. 



With a favourable winter and colonies strong, there is little, if anv. 

 difference between the three methods. But colonies are not always strong 

 at the end of the honey season, and the character of the coming winter 

 cannot be anticipated. It is therefore best to take no risks, but shut the 



