GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



In this connection there is a very inter- 

 esting chapter on this subject in a bulletin 

 by Dr. E. F. Phillips, No. 75, Part 5, of the 

 Bureau of Entomology, entitled " A Brief 

 Survey of Hawaiian Beekeeping." We 

 quote here in full Avhat is given in regard to 

 wax production. 



The price of honey fluctuates relatively 

 much more than that of beeswax. On ac- 

 count of the fact that Hawaiian honey has 

 been selling for a low price, and also because 

 of the peculiar character of most of the hon- 

 ey, the beekeepers of the islands are desirous 

 of converting their honey into wax, if it can 

 be done, even at no great profit. The long 

 shipment necessary to get their honey to 

 market means more or less loss by leakage 

 and heavy freight. Wax does not lose any- 

 thing in transit, and naturally, also, wax 

 weighs much less than an amount of honey 

 of equal money value, and the freight would 

 be very much reduced. 



When the author arrived on the islands 

 one of the first questions asked him was how 

 to bring about a production of more wax and 

 less or even practically no honey. After 

 getting the available data, which were freely 

 given, a method was suggested which prom- 

 ises to give some results, if we may judge 

 by results obtained in some experiments con- 

 ducted in the short time which could be 

 spent in Hawaii. Before outlining this pro- 

 posed method it will be well to review the 

 basis for the recommendations. 



It is a well-known fact among beekeepers 

 that at the time a swarm is hived the activ- 

 ity of the inmates of the new home is at its 

 height. The bees not only collect nectar 

 with great vigor, but, there being no wax in 

 the hive under natural conditions, the wax- 

 secreters become very active, and in a mar- 

 velously short time the hive is supplied with 

 combs. It is also true, of course, that wax is 

 secreted at any time during the active sea- 

 son when it is necessary that more combs 

 be built to accommodate brood or stores, 

 provided, of course, there is room. If a comb 

 is removed from the center of the brood- 

 chamber or from the super, it is replaced 

 as needed, but, as a rule, not so rapidly. The 

 rapidity of the honey-flow influences this 

 wax secretion greatly. 



The amount of honey consumed in the 

 secretion of a pound of wax is a much-de- 

 bated question among students of bees, the 

 various estimates ranging all the way from 

 2 to 20 pounds. There seems to be little 

 hope at present of arriving at anything def- 

 inite on this question, and the author is 

 strongly inclined to the belief that the rea- 

 son for this great variation in estimates is 

 due to the fact that the same amount of 

 honey is not always needed to bring about 

 a desired result. It would be bootless, there- 

 fore, to pay any attention to this phase of 

 the question in trying to get a method of 

 wax production. Sylviac, in a series of arti- 

 cles Tin L'Apiculteur for 1901, offers evidence 

 that the amount of honey consumed in se- 



creting a pound of wax is least following 

 swarming, and this quite coincides with the 

 fact that wax-building is most rapid at that 

 time. 



In dealing with wax secretion on a com- 

 mercial basis, data must be drawn from the 

 receipts per colony under different methods 

 of management. The actual consumption of 

 honey becomes of minor importance. It was 

 learned that the average annual return per 

 colony, after deducting freight charges, 

 leakage, and other expenses incurred after 

 the honey leaves the apiary, would not ex- 

 ceed $2.50. The hives are on an average two 

 stories high during the entire year, and, 

 during the height of the honey-flow, are 

 often higher. All figuring was done on a 

 basis of two-story colonies. The wax in such 

 a hive weighs over 6 pounds, averaging in 

 value $1.80, Hawaiian wax being of the 

 finest quality. 



As additional data, it was learned that it 

 is possible to increase the number of colonies 

 very rapidly. In one remarkable case re- 

 ported, 20 colonies were increased to 420 in 

 eight months. This fact shows that a colony 

 of bees can build up very rajjidly under the 

 conditions existing on the islands. It must 

 also be remembered that in cane sections 

 there is practically no stopping of the hon- 

 ey-flow. 



In view of all these facts it was obvious 

 that, if the wax be taken from each colony, 

 it will form a good beginning in the annual 

 return from a colony. If, then, the colony is 

 in as good shape in a year 's time as it wa? 

 when the wax was removed, there will be 

 honey enough stored to make the annual 

 money return higher than if the colony had 

 been run for honey alone. 



The method recommended is to shake the 

 colony on to starters of foundation. The 

 brood is placed over another colony to de- 

 velop so that it may not be lost; the honey 

 is to be extracted. By dividing the apiary 

 into two parts, one half may be shaken and 

 the brood piled on the other half. These in 

 turn may be shaken in three weeks or more, 

 and their brood added to the colonies shaken 

 at first. This manipulation is identical with 

 the shaking in treating for bee disease. 

 Similar methods are often emploj^ed in hon- 

 ey-producing to prevent swarming and to 

 cause bees to work in the supers. In the 

 present instance, however, there is an en- 

 tirely different reason for the practice. 



In the trial made with a view to wax pro- 

 duction, a surprising showing was made, and 

 it seemed obvious that the operation could 

 be repeated in not more than three months' 

 time, and probably less. If this be true, 

 then there will be removed $1.80 worth of 

 wax or more at each shaking, which means 

 a considerable gain. 



No positive statements of results can be 

 made until the method has stood trial for a 

 time. If this plan serves the purpose in 

 Hawaii, it will also be valuable in other 

 regions where there is a heavy honey-flow 

 for a long time. 



