276 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



March 29, 1906 



eased apiaries resorted to, it practically leaves, as above 

 mentioned, very little to do for the inspector for the present. 

 One of the main and most important objects of having an 

 inspector at the most important bee-keeping centers, espe- 

 cially where new comers may bring bees with them, is to 

 guard against any further introduction of foul brood or 

 other diseases as in the previous cases. This can be accom- 

 plished much better by having a man at such a place who is 

 thoroughly able to keep up with the information regarding 

 the shipping in, and other movements of bees. 

 tZD As soon as it is learned that bees are to be brought into 

 this section, arrangements for having them inspected are 

 made, and the bees will not be allowed to be brought until 

 a certificate showing that they are in healthy condition can 

 be obtained. Such is the duty of a district inspector, be- 

 sides that of inspecting apiaries that may be reported to 

 him for inspection for any reasons sufficient to warrant him 

 to do so ; and the bee-keepers should all go hand in hand in 

 this matter and aid this work. In this way they will receive 

 protection, and help protect others. 



" ^ 



doctor 2TItUer's 

 (Question ; Box 



8end questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal, 

 or to Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, 111. 

 Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. 



When to Take Out Cellared Bees 



J 



When in the spring is the right time to take bees out of the cellar? 

 I can't find it in any of the bee-books? Missouri. 



Answer. — It isn't an easy thing to say when is the right time to 

 take bees out of the cellar, and I'd give a pretty penny to any one who 

 could tell me with certainty the best time to take mine out this spring. 

 There has been a6 much as a month difference between the earliest and 

 the latest of my taking out, there being that difference in seasons. 

 There must be more or less guessing about it so long as one never 

 knows in advance just what the weather is going to be. So long as 

 they are in good condition in the cellar, and there is nothing for them 

 to do outdoors, there's no hurry about taking them out. If you will 

 watch the blooming of red maples, willows, or other trees upon which 

 they work in your neighborhood, you will generally find it best to 

 take them out at the time of such bloom, but not even then if the 

 weather appears unfavorable. So far south as you are — in Missouri, 

 39 degrees— areljou 6ure it is advisable to cellar bees at all? 



Transferring Bees- Best Bee- Book and Comb-Honey 

 Hive 



1. I have 3 colonies to transfer in the spring. When and how 

 would you transfer them? 



2. What is the best bee-book for a beginner? 



3. What kind of hive do you think is the best for comb honey? 



Minnesota. 

 Answers. — 1. A very satisfactory way is to wait till the first 

 swarm issues, hive it and set it on the old stand, set the old hive close 

 beside it; a week later move the old hive to a new place, and 2 

 weeks later still— or 3 weeks from the time of swarming — transfer in 

 the manner directed in your bee-book. 



2. All of those advertised in the American Bee Journal are good. 

 After you get familiar with one, if you mean to do much with bees it 

 will pay you to get another. 



3. The S-frame hive is good if you pay a lot of attention to the 

 bees, but unless you expect to give them very close attention take the 

 10-frame bive. Any plain hive with frames 17;'ijX%', outside measure, 

 is good whether dovetailed or not. 



ThrowlnglOuCBee Larvae or Pupae— Caucasian Bees, Etc. 



1. I commenced last spring with 2 colonies, increased to S, and 

 got 150 sections of nice honey, which, I think, is good for a beginner. 

 Three of my increase I caught. I had one destroyed by moths, and 

 one lost its queen, which 1 doubled with another, so I have (3 left. 



2. Last summer all of my bees threw out a good many bees in the 

 larval stage. The only way 1 could explain it was the moth destroyed 

 some of the brood, for, on examination, I found holes in the brood- 

 combs as though something had been eating them. Am I right? 



3. I see a good deal of late about the Caucasian bees, some claim- 

 ing they won't sting and are good; others claim they are no good. 

 What is the truth about these bees? 



4. Bees usually go to work here in March after a few warm days, 



as we have lots of maple and willow trees, and some wild gooseberry. 

 Do bees get honey from those trees, or is it all pollen? 



5. Does it do any harm to open a hive in the winter, on a warm 

 day, if you don't disturb any of the frames or bees, but simply look at 

 the top of the frames? 



6. Is it best to winter bees on the summer stands in this locality — 

 about 55 miles south of Chicago? I have a nice place, sheltered on 

 the east, north and west 6ides, and open on the south to the sun. 



Illinois. 

 Answers. — 1. You certainly did well; but you must not feel dis- 

 couraged if you do not repeat the experience. Other seasons may not 

 be so good. A few colonies in a locality ought to average better than 

 when you increase to a larger number. 



2. When bees are starving, they suck out the juices of the larva? 

 and throw out the skins. I suspect, however, that in your case it was 

 the pupa? instead of the larva; that were thrown out, and that you are 

 right in blaming the wax-worm for the trouble. 



3. The truth is about as you state it, and we must wait for further 

 information before we know which is right. It looks a little as if 

 there was quite a variation in Caucasians. 



4. Both pollen and honey. 



5. Yes, it is a bad thing to disturb bees unnecessarily; and I 

 wouldn't even uncover the frames at a time when bees can not fly, un- 

 less there was danger of starvation. 



6. They ought to winter well in the cellar, and yet sheltered as 

 you say they are they may also do well outside. It would not be a 

 bad plan to try some each way, and then you could decide better than 

 any one else. 



*-*-» 



Taking Out Cellared Bees for a Plight— Mice in Hives 



1. I am now wintering 35 colonies in what I call a very good cel- 

 lar — concrete walls all around and concrete bottom, with good circu- 

 lation. Is it the right thing to put colonies outdoors on a nice, warm, 

 sunshiny day, and then put them back in the evening? I see some 

 advocate keeping bees as quiet a6 possible — don't disturb them until 

 spring open6. But, on the other hand, don't you think it is a very 

 good plan to give them a flight on such a day? They will cleanse 

 themselves and be nearly as good as when first put in. 



2. I have been troubled somewhat with mice. They are bad when 

 they get started. I have lost one colony by their work. They did 

 not eat much honey, as it was one-half full, but they ate the bees, 

 leaving heads and wings — not a live bee in the hive when I found it. 

 The entrance was stopped up, and a nice ne6t of 5 young mice in it. 

 Of course I fixed them, killing an old one, and 3 got away. What 

 shall I do in such a case? I am afraid they will kill all the rest. 



Michigan. 



Answers. — 1. As you intimate, opinions are divided. I've tried 

 both ways, and I can't decide which is best. The objection urged 

 against taking out for a flight and returning is that it starts to breed- 

 ing and makes the bees uneasy. On the whole, if they are doing well 

 in the cellar, it may be as well to leave them until taken out for good ; 

 but if they are suffering from confinement, as shown by diarrhea, give 

 them a flight, and then return them. 



2. Don't be too sure the mice killed those bees. It is just possible 

 the mice only ate them after they were dead. Neither is it likely the 

 mice will kill all the rest. You can close entrances with coarse wire- 

 cloth, three me6hes to the inch. That will allow the passage of bees, 

 but not mice. Even if you fasten a mouse into one of the hives, that's 

 better than to let it have free run. 



Moving Bees— Preventing More Than One Swarm— Feed- 

 ing Bees— Changing Queens— Color of Comb 

 Honey-Getting Rid of Ants in Hives 



1. As I want to move my bees this spring, would 2 feet apart be 

 too close for each hive? 



2. What is an effective way to keep my bees from giving more 

 than one swarm per colony? 



3. One of my colonies gave more honey last year than the rest of 

 them. Should I save these drones and kill out those that are in the 

 other colonies? 



4. What time next month can I open the hives to 6ee if the bees 

 are well supplied with honey? and about how much should eaoh col- 

 ony have? If they have none, what should I feed them, and how 

 much? 



5. I would like to better my bees by giving them Italian queens. 

 Could I do this at any time in the summer? If not, when? 



6. How can I see, by looking into the hives, when a swarm is 

 ready to come out, as I would like to use the Alley trap? 



7. How can I tell by looking at comb honey whether it is light, 

 amber or dark? What are the shades of the cappings? 



8. How can I Keep the little red ants out of the hives in the sum- 

 mer-time? I have tried sulphur with no good results. Do they do 

 any harm in the hives? Wisconsin. 



Answers.— 1. That depends. If there are plenty of trees or other 

 objects to help mark their locations it will be all right. If the ground 

 is perfectly level, and nothing to help to locate the hives, there will 

 be mistakes in entering hives. If you want to save room, instead of 

 putting them regularly 2 feet apart, put the first two close together, 

 leave a space of 3 feet, then two more hives, and so on, putting the 

 hives in pairs, with 3 feet between each two pairs. With that arrange- 

 ment you'll get more bees on the same ground, and at the same time 

 there will be less mixing. 



2. When the prime swarm issues, hive^it and setj it on the old 



