THOUSAND ANSWERS 267 



walls IS generally used; say two or three inches. But doubling the 

 space between walls will by no means double the protection. 



9' ^ ^"^ planning to build winter-cases 24x36 inches, each to 

 hold two colonies. I also intend to leave the cases around the 

 hives m the summer, as a protection from heat. Will the bees be- 

 come confused and enter the wrong hive, or will queens returning 

 from their mating trip be liable to enter the wrong hive? 



A. I suppose your idea is that bees or queens may be con- 

 fused by having the two entrances in what seems to them the 

 same building. I don't think there will be any trouble in that 

 way. I have used double hives with entrances not six inches 

 apart, and I don't think there was any more trouble than with 

 separate hives. 



Winter Packing.— Q. Which is the best to put over the frames 

 in winter, a solid board, a chaff cushion or a cloth, packing the 

 super with leaves? 



A. The cushion for outdoor wintering; in a cellar it matters 

 little which, if the cellar is all right and the hive has a large 

 entrance. 



Q. I have always hesitated to remove the winter protection 

 (chafi tray, etc.) in the early spring in order to examine colonies. 

 As you advocate to take the bees out when maple is in bloom, 

 would this also be a good signal to go by for removing the winter 

 packing, or, if not, what would be? 



A. If you will look again you will see that it is the soft maple 

 that usually gives the signal for taking bees out of a cellar. The 

 hard maple blooms a little later. Taking bees out of a cellar is a 

 different affair from taking away the' wrappings of those that 

 have been wintered outside. My bees have no wrappings after 

 being brought out, but some think it pays to give them protection 

 after that time. At any rate, if my bees were outdoors and well 

 packed, I would hesitate about unpacking them at the time of ma- 

 ple bloom unless I thought there was danger of their being short 

 of stores, and even then it might be worth while to return the 

 packing until about the time of fruit bloom. 



Winter Quarters, Removing From. — Q. How soon will it be 

 safe to take out of their winter chaff-lined boxes and put on 

 summer stands, bees that are in single-walled hives? (Iowa.) 



A. If the bees are not to have their stands changed, and can 

 have a flight without removing any packing, it is better for the 

 bees to have the warmth of the packing until it is fairly hot 

 weather, say about the last of May in your region. 



