Nov. 



1912. 



Bee-keeping in Victoria. 



651 



I. Hives may become crowded with bees early in September if win- 

 tered in single stories; as soon as the bees occupy all the combs, an upper 

 story, with drawn empty combs, should be put on to allow the bees to 

 spread out as their numbers increase and the weather becomes warmer. 

 The beginner is at a great disadvantage in not having another set of combs, 

 and the only thing he can do is to remove one or two combs from the 

 brood chamber to the super (upper story) and put two frames with full 

 sheets of foundation alongside the outside brood combs in the lower hive 

 body. The bees will soon draw the foundation into comb, and the combs 

 removed to the super will induce them to commence work there. Frames 

 with starters only should not be used before swarming time, as drone 

 comb is invariably built in them at this period. It must be pointed out 

 that the addition of a set of frames with starters, or a section super, does 

 not spread the bees out, because there is no connexion between the brood 

 combs and the starters in the super. In a wild bees' nest, or when a set 

 of drawn combs are given, the comb is continuous, and therefore, in the 



FIG. I. SPRING EXAMINATION OF HIVES. 



latter case, accepted by the bees as part of their home as soon as required 

 and the crowded condition relieved. 



2. The presence of large numbers of drones is best avoided by the use 

 in the brood chamber of combs built from full sheets of foundation, or 

 combs which have been built by swarms during the first three weeks. The 

 cutting out of drone comb or the shaving off of the heads of drone brood 

 is of very little use, because drone comb is again built by the bees in the 

 same space, and the queen again lays drone eggs into the cells from which 

 the bees have removed the decapitated drones. 



3. Old or failing queens may be discovered during the first or second 

 examination of hives in Spring (Fig. i) by noting the irregular way eggs 

 are laid, as they are found scattered about instead of in compact circles. 

 Colonies having three-year-old queens will be found most inclined to 

 swarm ; thos.e with two-year-old queens less so, and the previous season's 

 queens still less, while later on. when young queens of the same season's 



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