204 DR. miller's 



Q. Would it pay to have a Rietsche press for 100 colonies (I 

 use shallow extracting-frames and sections on each colony), or 

 would it pay to sell the wax and buy foundation? 



A I doubt that you could easily make foundation with a 

 Rietsche press that would be satisfactory for section honey. For 

 brood-frames you can make foundation with it that might be 

 satisfactory. Whether it would be advisable to make or buy de- 

 pends upon circumstances. 



Robbing. — Q. What is a good sign of bees being robbed? 



A. When you see unusual activitj- at the entrance, especially 

 if the colony is weak, catch one of the bees that comes out with 

 considerable bustle, kill it and see if it has honey in its sac. If 

 it goes out with a full sac, you may count there's robbing. In a 

 large number of the cases of robbing that occur in the spring, it 

 is because the colonies are queenless and practically worthless, 

 and the best thing in such case is to let the robbers carry out all 

 the honey without disturbing them. About the worst thing is to 

 take the hive away, for then the robbers will pitch into the ad- 

 joining hives. If you take the hive away, put in its place another 

 hive just like it, with a comb or combs having just a little honey 

 in them, letting the robbers clean out the little honey without dis- 

 turbing the neighboring colonies. 



Q. If bees begin robbing a hive, can it be stopped, and how? 



A. If bees have a good start at robbing a weak colony, it is a 

 hard matter to stop them. Perhaps the best thing is to take away 

 the colony, putting it down cellar for two or three days, and put 

 in place of the hive another hive like it, containing some comb 

 and a little honey. (If you leave nothing for them to work at, 

 they will attack one or more of the nearest colonies.) When they 

 have cleaned out the little honey, and satisfied themselves there is 

 no more to be had, they will quietly give it up. Then, after two 

 or three days, return the colony to its place, closing the entrance 

 to a very small space, perhaps allowing passage for only one or 

 two bees at a time, and it may be that the robbers will not make 

 another start, especially if a good queen is present. But if the 

 colony is queenless, the case is hopeless. Sometimes robbing has 

 commenced at a fairly strong colony with a good queen. The first 

 thing is to limit the entrance. Perhaps painting carbolic acid 

 about the entrance will answer. A pretty good way is to pile hay 

 o,- grass in front of the entrance and keep it well wet with water. 



