326 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



May, 1919 



protection from prevailing winds and where 

 there is a little shade during the hottest 

 part of the day — perhaps out in the back 

 yard under the apple tree, but facing away 

 from any path where people are frequently 

 passing. Bees do not like moving objects 

 close in front of their entrance; nor do 

 they approve of rug-beating or tennis-play- 

 ing too near their homes. 



Those who live in the city may be obliged 

 to keep their bees on the roof or in the attic. 

 Colonies placed in an attic should be near 

 the wall and have an outside entrance. There 

 should also b'^ a window that can be opened 

 to allow the escape of bees that will collect 

 on it whenever the hive is opened. 



Colonies Need Not Annoy Neighbors. 



In case any neighbor is a little timid con- 

 cerning the bees, we advise placing the colo- 

 nies facing a trellis or other high obstruc- 

 tion so that the bees will be compelled to 

 fly high on leaving the hives. Also the 

 neighbors should be cautioned never to 

 leave sweets exposed where the bees may 

 get a taste and start robbing; for, of course, 

 such robbing would make the bees very 

 cross. It might, moreover, be a good plan 

 to get the neighbor somewhat interested in 

 the bees, perhaps by giving him a little 

 peep inside the hive on a nice warm day 

 when the bees are gathering honey, and are, 

 therefore, good-natured, and also by giving 

 him a sample of the honey when the crop 

 is harvested. 



Supplying Stores. 



As soon as the hives are placed, the cover 

 should replace the top screen, and the en- 

 trance screen should be removed so that 

 the bees may have a flight. They will need 

 proper ventilation, but the entrance should 

 not be too large since colonies just moved 

 are more likely to be attacked by robbers. 

 Probably a % by 8-inch entrance would be 

 about right. The next day or so, if it is 

 found they are short of stores, the cover 

 should be removed, an empty super placed 

 over the brood-chamber, and a cake of 

 candy left on top of the frames. The candy 

 and tops of the frames should then be cover- 

 ed warmly with burlap or carpet, and the 

 cover replaced. For such feeding we recom- 

 mend the candy mentioned in an April edi- 

 torial. From now until the honey flow all 

 colonies should be kept supplied with plenty 

 of stores in order that brood-rearing may 

 progress rapidly. 



Transferring From Old Hives. 



Some time this month, before the hives 

 become heavy with honqy, and on a pleasant 

 day when many bees are out after nectar, 

 those colonies in old hives with unmovable 

 frames should be transferred to modern 

 hives. The following is an easy way of 

 transferring: 



Remove the old hive from its stand, and 

 in its place put a new hive, facing in the 

 same direction, and filled with frames of 

 foundation, or jjreferably drawn comb. 

 There should be one comb containing a 



patch of young larvae (unhatched bees 

 which look like little white worms). If one 

 has no full colonies from which to take these 

 larvae, he may with a little trouble get a 

 l^iece of comb containing such larvae from 

 the old hive. After smoking the colony a 

 little, remove the bottom-board and place 

 the old hive over the new, tacking on strips, if 

 necessary, so that there will be no open cracks 

 between the two hives. Then blow smoke 

 down thru the old story, gradually driving 

 the bees and queen below, after which in- 

 sert a queen-excluder between the two hives. 

 A few days later examine the lower story to 

 see whether the queen has begun laying be- 

 low. If not, it is probable she is still in the 

 upper story. To get her below, again place 

 the old hive of brood over the lower hive, 

 leaving out the excluder, and again drive 

 the bees below with smoke, making certain 

 this time that the queen also goes with the 

 bees. Then insert the queen-excluder be- 

 tween the two hives, being sure to leave 

 the excluder right (deep) side up. In 24 

 days after the queen has been driven below 

 the brood will all be hatched from the old 

 hive, when it may be removed, and the 

 combs saved to be rendered into wax. 



When no combs are obtainable, colonies 

 may be transferred into the new hives on to 

 frames of foundation, and then fed continu- 

 ously until the foundation is drawn out into 

 comb; but it gives the bees a much nicer 

 start to give them drawn combs, always 

 making certain, of course, that the combs 

 are not from diseased colonies. 



Improving the Stock. 



Good Italians may be recognized by the 

 three yellow bands on the abdomen. This 

 strain is gentle; they are good honey-gather- 

 ers, and quite resistant to disease. The 

 blacks are easily distinguished by their 

 color. They are very quick and nervous, 

 rather cross and not very resistant to dis- 

 ease; perhaps not quite as good honey- 

 gatherers as the Italians, and much more in- 

 clined to rob. The hybrids are a cross be- 

 tween any two strains, but ' ' hybrids ' ' gen- 

 erally refers to a cross between Italians and 

 blacks. Hybrids vary considerably in their 

 characteristics. 



Unless the bees of a colony purchased 

 show at least two yellow bands, the beginner 

 will probably wish to requeen, for no matter 

 what the strain, the entire colony may, by 

 the simple substitution of an Italian queen 

 for their present one, be changed in six to 

 eight weeks into a fine Italian colony. To 

 requeen, it is only necessary to find the old 

 queen and kill her, and then introduce the 

 new one according to the directions that ac- 

 company her, not ojjening the hive for four 

 or five days after introducing. 



Why Clip the Queen's Wings? 



When for any reason a colony becomes 

 dissatisfied with its home — usually because 

 of insufficient ventilation or a crowded con- 

 dition of the brood-chamber or supers — 

 they start preparations for swarming. When 



