SUITED TO WARM CLIMATES. 353 



another of the same appearance remain near the 

 same spot, many of the bees will return and enter 

 it, and remain, to the great detriment of the hive or 

 hives from whence they came. 



Hives and honey boxes should be prepared in suffi- 

 cient numbers for the supposed necessities of the 

 season, before the labors commence. 



FEBRUARY. 



The bees are now at work carrying home rich 

 loads of pollen. 



The entrance of the hive should be opened just 

 enough to permit the egress and ingress of the work- 

 ers, without room for the convenient entrance of rob- 

 bers. 



By the first of this month, (February) if the 

 stock is strong and full of comb and stores, take out 

 a side comb where fewest bees cluster (for directions 

 see page 262) and plaCe it in any hive not full, or lay 

 it away to be returned where needed ; now examine 

 that adjoining, and if a portion of empty worker 

 comb is found, place it next to that containing brood ; 

 if no empty comb is found, and the bees are numer- 

 ous, then place an empty frame next to the brood, 

 but keep the latter compact ; the bees then construct 

 comb for breeding, and in doing so, consume in- 

 creased quantities of honey to enable them to elab- 

 orate the necessary wax, and the cells thus exhausted 

 furnish room for more brood. 



