GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



July, 1922 



c 



TALKS TO 



Geo. S. 



LJ 



JULY brings to 

 the beginner 

 several new 

 problems in the 

 management of 

 his colonies, since 

 in a large part of 

 the country the 

 main honey 

 flow ceases some 



time this month, thus bringing enforced 

 idleness to the thousands of workers of the 

 hive. 



Some seasons, the honey flow closes ab- 

 ruptly, with but little if any warning, es- 

 pecially if the weather becomes hot and 

 dry; while other seasons it tapers off gradu- 

 ally toward the close, giving the beekeeper 

 an opportunity to adjust affairs to the 

 changed conditions. 



In some localities, especially in the far 

 north, the fall honey, flow begins at about 

 the time the early honey flow closes, thus 

 giving a continuous honey flow through the 

 summer; but, in most localities having a 

 fall honey flow, there is an interval of sev- 

 eral weeks between. In the greater part of 

 the United States there is no dependable 

 fall honey flow, the close of the early honey 

 flow marking the end of the season so far 

 as surplus honey is concerned. In a few 

 localities such as the buckwheat region of 

 New York and Pennsylvania, the main 

 honey harvest does not begin until in Aug- 

 ust and September. 



Wherever the honey flow may be expect- 

 ed to close this month, the beekeeper should 

 keep close' watch for indications of the 

 close of the season in order to have the 

 work in the supers finished to the best ad- 

 vantage. 



How to Tell When Honey Flow is Closing. 

 One can tell something about the probable 

 duration of the honey flow by noting the 

 progress of the flowers that are furnishing 

 the nectar. For example, in the clover re- 

 gion where most of the surplus honey is 

 gathered from white clover and alsike clo- 

 ver, the honey flow may be expected to 

 cease when most of the clover blossoms have 

 matured. Sometimes, however, timely rains 

 revive the white clover just as the season 

 appears to be closing, thus prolonging the 

 honey flow a week or two; but, if the weath- 

 er is hot and dry the honey flow usually 

 closes distressingly early, for then the blos- 

 soms mature quickly. Where sweet clover 

 grows extensively, the honey flow is usual- 

 ly prolonged through .Tuly, but it tapers off 

 toward the end of the month. 



In the hive, one of the first indications 

 of the closing of the season is the tendency 

 of the bees to begin crowding more honey 

 into the brood-chamber and putting less into 

 the supers. The honey is crowded in at the 

 upper portion of the brood area as tlio 

 young bees emerge, thus limiting the queen 

 to less space. The bees also build comb less 

 lavishly toward the close of the season and 



BEGINNERS 



Demuth 



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they are inclined 

 to discolor the 

 newly built 

 combs with pro- 

 polis, giving 

 them a yellow 

 appearance. An- 

 other indication 

 of the closing 

 of the season is 

 the way the workers treat the drones. As the 

 close of the honey flow approaches, the 

 drone are often crowded down on the floor 

 of the hive or out at the entrance, and occa- 

 sionally a worker can be seen struggling 

 with a drone some time before the general 

 slaughter of the drones, which usually oc- 

 curs after the honey flow has ceased. A very 

 distressing indication that the season is clos- 

 ing is the tendency to rob and an increasing 

 tendency to sting. If the bees have been 

 working so well that they paid no attention 

 to honey exposed when opening the hives, 

 but now suddenly begin to pounce upon ex- 

 posed honey to carry it away, the honey flow 

 is no doubt closing. As soon as the first indi- 

 cations of robbing are seen great caution is 

 necessary in handling the iDees. In fact, 

 they should not be handled more than is 

 absolutely necessary when they are cross or 

 inclined to rob. 



Beginners should be careful as the season 

 advances, for, even before the close of the 

 honey flow, the bees often become cross and 

 ugly to handle. Some take great pride in 

 handling bees without a veil and sometimes 

 even without a smoker; but, while this 

 can be done earlier in the season with rea- 

 sonable safety with gentle bees, it would 

 be folly for anyone but an expert to try it 

 when the honey flow is closing. Bees that 

 were gentle during the earlier part of the 

 honey flow can not be depended upon to 

 continue to be gentle this month. It is not 

 a disgrace for a beekeeper to put on a 

 good veil and be sure his smoker is going 

 well before attempting any work with the 

 bees. 



Management of Supers as Close of Season 

 Approaches. 



During the latter part of the honey flow, 

 additional supers should not be added so 

 freely as earlier. It is better now to crowd 

 the bees a little for super room than to 

 give too much, but there should always be 

 some room in the supers for new work un- 

 til the honey flow has entirely ceased. 



When producing extracted honey, the bees 

 should have in the super at the close of the 

 season at least two or three empty combs 

 that were not needed, in order to be sure 

 that they have had enough at all times. For 

 comb honey, either in sections or in shallow 

 extracting-frames (bulk comb honey), there 

 should be some foundation for the bees to 

 work on as long as they are willing to build 

 comb. 



For either extracted honey or comb honey 

 the super work should be concentrated as 



