APRlli, 1921 



GT. KANTNGS IN BEE OUIiTURE 



ping fruui a few eells. Below the sealed 

 honey there may be a few rows of cells of 

 recently gathered honey. 



Look for capped cells in the middle of the 

 comb. This is sealed brood if the comb is 

 from the middle of the brood-nest. To be 

 sure of this tear 

 away a capping and 

 note that it con- 

 tains an immature 

 young bee in its 

 pupal or late larval 

 state of develo})- 

 ment. Note the dif- 

 ference in the ap- 

 pearance of the 

 Esrgrs are placed in regii- c a p p i n g s of the 

 Un- order by a normal lyyood and the cap- 

 pings over the hon- 

 ey. Ill tlie middle of the area of sealed 

 brood young bees may be seen emerging 

 from the cells. Note how they first cut away 

 the cai)]nng to release themselves. 



At the outer margin of the area of sealed 

 brood in the first open cells, look for the 

 nearly full-grown larvae. Note their pearly 

 white color which is cliaracteristic of 

 healthy larvae. Beyond the full-grown lar- 

 vae, toward the outer edge of the comb, 

 smaller larvae will be found. Hold the comb 

 so the sun will shine down into the cells, and 

 by looking carefully even the smallest of 

 the larvae, those which have just hatched 

 from the egg, may be seen. 



Beyond the smallest larvae, eggs may be 

 seen attached to the base of the cell. Note 

 the regularity with which the eggs are 

 placed in the cells, few if any cells being 

 vacant. This tells you that the queen is nor- 

 mal and prolific. It is difficult, at first, to see 

 the eggs and the smallest larvae, but by 

 turning the comb in the light until it strikes 

 the base of the cell these can be seen. 



The arrangement of the brood of different 

 ages, as described above, is not always pres- 

 ent on all of the combs, because later when 

 young bees emerge from the middle of the 

 comb the queen will again lay eggs in these 

 cells now surrounded by sealed brood. Later 

 in the season this arrangement may be 

 broken up entirely. Between the upper mar- 

 gin of the brood and the lower margin of 

 the honey there are usually a few rows of 

 cells containing pollen. This can readily be 

 detected, being packed down in a solid mass 

 in the cells. By looking carefully, cells may 

 be found having two little pellets of pollen 

 not yet packed down but lying loosely just 

 as the worker left them when she kicked 

 them from the pollen baskets on her legs. 



By looking at the open cells it will be 

 noted that little patches of comb usually in 

 the lower corners of the frame have cells of 

 greater diameter. This is drone comb, while 

 the comb having smaller cells is worker 

 comb. If the colony is strong there may be 

 some drone brood present during this month, 

 even in the North; while in the South drone 

 brood, as well as emerged drones, can now 



be found in strong colonies. Drone brood 

 that is sealed has peculiar convex cappings, 

 which resemble a layer of spherical bullets. 



In some of the southern States, queen-cells 

 built preparatory to swarming may be found 

 in some of the strongest colonies at this 

 time, but in the North these usually are not 

 built until in May or June. 



It is not necessary to tell the beginner 

 that the vast majority of the bees on the 

 combs are workers. If drone brood was 

 found, there may be some adult drones 

 among the workers. These large heavy-set 

 bees inaj^ readily be found if any are pres- 

 ent, and when one is found he can be picked 

 up with the fingers without danger, as he is 

 not armed with a sting. 



The beginner may see the queen the first 

 time he examines the colony, if he has been 

 careful not to stampede the bees and thus 

 frighten her so she hides away in some ob- 

 scure corner. If the bees are gentle Italians 

 the queen may go on quietly with her work, 

 laying eggs, even while the comb is out of 

 the hive. 



How to Handle the Combs. 



In handling the combs, all quick motions 

 should be avoided. Do not move the hands 

 across the top of the frames, but keep them 

 near the ends of the hive. Bees resent any 

 quick motions and may dart out to sting if 

 the operator moves too quickly. 



To look at the opposite side of a comb it 

 should first be turned with the top-bar in a 

 vertical position, still holding the frame by 

 each end of the top-bar. The comb can now 

 be turned on the top-bar as an axis, after 

 which the top-bar is again brought back to 

 a horizontal position, but this time the 

 frame is upside down. This process is re- 

 versed in turning the comb back to normal. 

 What Can Be Learned by This Examination. 



The presence of worker brood in all stages 

 of development tells the observer that his 

 colony has a normal queen whether he sees 

 her or not. The presence of sealed honey in 

 the upper corners of the combs and in a 

 greater portion of one or two of the outside 

 combs tells him that the colony is not lack- 

 ing in its food supply. The presence of drone 

 brood tells him that the colony is at least 

 fairly strong and prosperous. The presence 

 of many empty cells, if any, tells him that 

 the bees do not need more room at this time. 



In the northern States such colonies need 

 only to be kept snug and warm during April, 

 by seeing that the cover fits down all around, 

 by leaving the winter packing in place, and 

 by blocking down the entrance to about~one 

 or two inches in width and not more than 

 three-eighths of an inch high. 



In the southern States colonies may need 

 more room this month. If the brood-cham- 

 ber is well filled, outside combs and all, and 

 the bees are elongating some of the cells in 

 the upper portion of the comb with new 

 white wax built on the old dark comb, they 

 need their supers, which should be put on 

 without delay if the bees are working well. 



