DR. MILLER'S THOUSAND ANSWERS 



Absconding (See also Desertion, Swarms Leaving.) — Q. I hived 

 a swarm, and the next day it sailed off to parts unknown. What 

 shall I do to prevent such a thing in the future? 



A. The most frequent cause of such desertion is heat. A hive 

 unshaded standing out in the boiling sun with a very small en- 

 trance and all the rest closed up tight, is a pretty warm place to 

 set up housekeeping, and one can hardly blame the newly settled 

 family for moving out. 



The remedy is not difficult to imagine. If possible, let the hive 

 be in a cool, shady place. A temporary shade, and sprinkling with 

 water will serve a good turn. Give plenty of chance for air. 

 Some practice leaving the covers of the hives raised an inch or 

 so for two or three days. Some give two stories to the swarm, 

 taking away the lower story after two or three days. Either of 

 these plans provides to some extent against an overheated dwell- 

 ing. Some practice giving a frame of brood to the swarm, with 

 the idea that the bees will feel that they cannot afford to abandon 

 so valuable a piece of property. 



In any case, if all laying queens are clipped no prime swarm 

 can abscond unless it joins, or is joined, by some other swarm 

 having a queen with whole wings. The queen with clipped wing 

 may be lost, but it is better to lose the queen alone than to lose 

 both queen and swarm. 



Swarms may abscond, also, if they are secondary or after- 

 swarms and the queen has not mated. When she goes out for her 

 wedding flight, the swarm may follow her. 



Absorbents. — Q. Which is the better way to fix bees for winter- 

 ing out-of-doors, with a tight-fitting cover on the hive, or with 

 chaff cushions, or some other porous absorbent material? 



Is there any way to keep the moisture from the bees, and from 

 condensing in the hives? If so, how? 



A. If a plain board cover be directly over the bees the- moisture 

 will condense on it and fall on the cluster; but the moisture will 

 not condense so readily on wool, chaff or something of that kind; 

 so that it is preferable to the close-fitting board cover. 



Adel Bees. — Q. Is the Adel bee a sort of Carniolan bee, and 



