252 



WINTERING 



successful flight, dying upon the snow. In the packing cases 

 this trouble is avoided as the bees do not feel the heat of the sun 

 until the air is sufficiently warm to permit a safe return. Of 

 course there will always be some old bees which will die outside 

 after every day warm enough for a flight. 



Cellar Wintering. — Cellar wintering is the most generally 



Fig. 117. — The packing boxea may be utilized for chicken coops in summer. 



practised plan by extensive honey producers of the northeastern 

 States. Over large areas there are long periods that the bees 

 are unable to fly from early December until the last of February 

 or even March. It is the usual practice to put the bees into the 

 cellar in this climate. The saving in stores will be considerable. 

 In general it is estimated that not more than twelve to fifteen 

 pounds of honey will be consumed by a colony in the cellar, 

 though as much more should be present in the hive to insure a 



