162 PRODUCTION OF COMB HONEY 



the other (Fig. 77). This is made with about one-third of its 

 surface covered with a double screen. Double wire cones make it 

 possible for the bees to go down easily but difficult to find their 

 way back. The principal advantage of this excluder over the 

 other is the ventilation, which prevents the melting down of the 

 combs in extremely hot weather. While this happens rather 

 infrequently, conditions occasionally are such that honey will 

 melt badly in unventilated supers. Over these ventilated escapes 

 the air will be kept moving by fanning bees below, even if none 

 are left in the super, and the bad effects of the heat will be 

 avoided. 



If it is desirable to remove the super before the outside rows 

 of sections are finished they may be set aside and replaced in 

 other supers. 



Closing the Season. — Unless there are unfinished sections 

 which may be left on the hive in the hope of finishing during 

 the fall flow, it is usually advisable to remove the comb honey 

 supers at the close of the main harvest and to replace with ex- 

 tracting combs to catch any light fall flow. In localities where 

 the fall flow is such that comb honey can be produced profitably 

 this will not apply. In many localities the fall flow is so light 

 that the sections will not be well finished and if marketable at all 

 few of them will grade better than number two. Unless one can 

 produce comb honey of the best quality it is better to have it 

 stored in the extracting combs. 



When one comes to remove honey in wholesale quantities 

 after the close of the flow it will be necessary to proceed carefully 

 or there will be much annoyance from robber bees dodging into 

 the sections and flying home with a load. Let a few bees get away 

 successfully in this manner and shortly the air will be full of 

 bees intent on finding the source of supply. At such times it 

 becomes very difficult for the operator to work and there is 

 greatly increased danger from stings. Everything should be 

 kept closed as carefully as possible and when the supers are 

 removed they should be covered at once. 



