ENTOMOLOGY 423 



be taken that it comes from a healthy apiary, otherwise the apiary 

 may be ruined by disease. Never feed honey bought on the open 

 market. The bees should be provided with stores early enough so 

 that it will not be necessary to feed or to open the colonies after cold 

 weather comes on. Honeydew honey should not be left in the hives, 

 as it produces dysentery. Some honeys are also not ideal for winter 

 stores. Those which show a high percentage of gums (most tree 

 honeys) are not so desirable, but will usually cause no trouble. 



In wintering out of doors the amount of protection depends on 

 the severity of the winter. In the South no packing is necessary, 

 and even in very cold climates good colonies with plenty of stores 

 can often pass the winter with little protection, but packing and pro- 

 tection make it necessary for the bees to generate less heat, and con- 

 sequently they consume less stores and their vitality is not reduced. 

 Dampness is probably harder for bees to withstand than cold, and 

 when it is considered that bees give off considerable moisture, pre- 

 cautions should be taken that as it condenses it does not get on the 

 cluster. An opening at the top would allow the moisture to pass out, 

 but it would also waste heat, so it is better to put a mat of burlap 

 or other absorbent material on top of the frames. The hive may also 

 be packed in chaff, leaves, or other similar dry material to keep put 

 the cold. Some hives are made with double walls, the space being 

 filled with chaff; these are good for outdoor wintering. The hive en- 

 trance should be lower than any other part of the hive, so that any 

 condensed moisture may run out. The hives should be sound and 

 the covers tight and waterproof. 



Entrances should be contracted in cold weather not only to keep 

 out cold wind, but to prevent mice from entering. There should 

 always be enough room, however, for bees to pass in and out if 

 warmer weather permits a flight. 



In the hands of experienced bee keepers cellar wintering is very 

 successful, but this method requires careful study. The cellar must 

 be dry and so protected that the temperature never varies more than 

 from 40 to 45 F. ; 43 F. seems to be the optimum temperature. 

 The ventilation must be good or the bees become fretful. Light 

 should not be admitted to the cellar, and consequently some means 

 of indirect ventilation is necessary. 



Cellar wintering requires the consumption of less honey to 

 maintain the proper temperature in the cluster and is therefore 

 economical. Bees so wintered do not have an opportunity for a 

 cleansing flight, often for several months, but the low consumption 

 makes this less necessary. Some bee keepers advocate carrying the 

 colonies out a few times on warm days, but it is not fully established 

 whether this is entirely beneficial and is usually not practiced. 



The time for putting colonies in the cellar is a point of dispute, 

 and practice in this regard varies considerably. They should cer- 

 tainly be put in before the weather becomes severe and as soon as 

 they have ceased brood rearing. The time chosen may be at night 

 when they are all in the hive, or on some chilly day. 



