154 DR. miller's 



where their old stands were, but there cannot be much trouble 

 from that, for I have many times put my bees on new stands in 

 the spring without trouble. 



Q. As I have to move about three miles March 1st, when do 

 you think would be the best time to move my bees? I have them 

 in boxes with chaff packed around them. Will the bees get ven- 

 tilation enough from the entrance, or had I better put a screen 

 over the top of the hive in moving them? 



A. It will not do to disturb the winter packing any sooner 

 than is necessary, so you had better not move them till bees are 

 flying every few days, possibly in April. If you choose a cool day 

 the entrances will probably give ventilation enough, unless it be 

 that it is less than the equivalent of 3 or 4 square inches. Of 

 course, e.xtra strong colonies may require extra ventilation. 



Q. Next spring I want to move 20 colonies in a wagon. When 

 would be the best time to move them, and how would be the best 

 way to load? 



A. It doesn't matter such a great deal what time in spring 

 you move them. If you move them when it is freezing hard there 

 is danger that the combs will break. If you move them after they 

 have begun to fly freely you must take the precaution to close the 

 hives the evening before, otherwise you will lose some of the 

 field bees. 



Put them in the wagon with the frames running crosswise, as 

 the greatest shaking is from the wagon swinging from side to 

 side. 



Q. I would like to move my 15 colonies about 80 to 100 miles 

 from here. I made arrangements to move them in the spring 

 while they would be light and not so crowded, and so that there 

 would still be' snow up in the hills to take them on the sleigh 

 where otherwise the road would be rough. The time to go over 

 the snow would take about one day. If I leave the entrance open, 

 also the top, and shut up with screen, put the hives on a spring 

 wagon and some straw under the hives, would this plan work all 

 right? 



A. Your plan ought to work all right. There remains the pos- 

 sibility of an unusually warm day occurring during the part of the 

 journey when the bees were on the wagon, making the bees very 

 uneasy. In that case you would quiet them by sprinkling water 

 upon them. 



Q. Can bees be moved in the fall, say the last of September 

 or the first of October. I want to move them 75 or 80 miles, either 

 by rail or wagon. Can it be done without damage? 



