250 



Beekeeping 



The beginner in beekeeping may mistake the play flights 

 of young bees for robbing, but after the latter has once been 

 observed this error will not be repeated. Bees appear old 

 soon after they begin robbing ; they are dark and thin, their 

 actions are nervous, and the hairs on the body are lost, 

 probably by being torn off by defending bees and by squeez- 

 ing through narrow openings. 



When a colony is abnormal, as in queenlessness or disease, 

 it may be robbed of its stores slowly, without any excitement, 



usually by the bees of a 

 single colony. 



Moving bees. 



In migratory beekeep- 

 ing, in bringing pur- 

 chased bees to the apiary 

 and under various other 

 circumstances the bee- 

 keeper will find it neces- 

 sary to move bees. The 

 frames must be fastened 

 firmly in place. If self- 

 spacing frames are used, 

 especially if there is con- 

 siderable propolis on them, no precautions need be taken 

 to prevent the swinging of the frames, but it is often 

 desirable to nail a f -inch strip over the tops of the frames 

 so that they cannot fall out of place if the hive is 

 tipped. Abundant ventilation should be given, the 

 amount depending on the temperature. In cold weather, 

 the entrances may simply be closed with a block and the cover 

 fastened securely, but in extremely hot weather it is desir- 

 able to remove the cover or both the cover and the bottom 

 board and nail on wire-cloth (Fig. 110). A 2-inch collar 

 may be fastened to the top of the hive-body and wire-cloth 

 put above this, to give clustering space for the bees. Colo- 

 nies rarely suffer from exposure during moving so that the 



FIG. 110. Hive ready for moving. In 

 this case the bottom board is left on. 



