Tbe (|)ee-J\eepeps' jHev'ieLo. 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



Devoted to tlqe Interests of Hoqey Producers. 



$L00 A YEAR. 



W. Z. flOTCHINSON, Eilltor and Proprietor, 



VOL. Xi 



FLINT. MICHIGAN, JUNE 10. 1899 NO 6 



Oriii;inal Contributions. 



SHADE IN THE AIMARY. 



Wliv and When and Hiiw it Should J»er.i\cn. 



\V. Z. HITCHIXSON. 



1^^ f. 



r 



i 



^^^^Hn shade n 



R5^i^'*^ bcfs? If so, why, 



wlieii, how? Some 

 liec- keepers do not 

 sliade their hives ; 

 ^B^^ .ihers do. Why 



ii) Ihey do it? Is 

 it really iiecessa- 

 r\ ? Do they therc- 

 liv secure more 

 honey ? These are 

 jiertinent questions to which it is diffi- 

 cult to give definite answers, but about 

 which it is advisable to know all there is 

 known. 



The temperature of a colony of bees in 

 the sunmier, when brrxxl is being reared, 

 is nearly ioo°. Until the temperature, in 

 the sun, reaches this point, shade is no 

 benefit; rather it is an injury, as it de- 

 prives the bees of the warmth of the sun 



at a time when it would be of some bene- 

 fit. When the temperature in the sun 

 goes above ioo°, and begins to climb up 

 to iio°, i20°, 130°, 140°, then the effort 

 upon the part of the bees is to lower in- 

 stead of raise the temperature in the hive . 

 Crowds of bees stand at t\\e entrance 

 of the hive, and with their wings create 

 strong ventilating currents of air. It has 

 been asserted that the bees leave the 

 combs of honey well-nigh forsaken when 

 the temperature is very high; the reason 

 given being that the combs can be kept 

 cooler when not covered w'ith bees. I 

 have also re id and been told, that bees 

 would " hang out," that is, cluster upon 

 the outside of the hives, instead of work- 

 ing, if their hives were left unshaded dur- 

 ing a hot day; that they w-ere compelled 

 to thus desert their hives to save their 

 combs from destruction. I have always 

 kept my hives shaded during the hot 

 weather, hence cannot speak from expe- 

 rience upon this point; but, if it is true, 

 then it would seem that shade, in very hot 

 weather, is both desirable and profitable. 

 This much I have noticed, that weak col- 

 onies, nuclei, for instance, seldom make 

 any demonstrations of discomfort from 

 heat, even when left unshaded, while 

 strong colonies are puffing and blowing 

 like the runner of a foot-race. Why is 



