CHAPTER VI 

 Wintering Bees in the South. 



THE wintering of bees in the South is easiest to under- 

 stand if viewed from three standpoints: namely, from 

 the standpoint of the beekeepers who live in the tropics, 

 in the alluvial region and in the mountain sections. Viewed in 

 this way, the problem is as different in the three belts named as it 

 possibly could be. 



For the sake of convenience in considering the winter problem 

 of the southern beekeeper, let us divide the territory into the three 

 belts named above, which practically coincide with the divisions 

 cited in the chapter on honey sources. This will give us a narrow 

 belt along the gulf coast, touching Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi 

 and Louisiana, and widening out at either end to take in most of 

 Florida and the great region of south Texas. In that territory 

 the problem is not one of low temperatures, but of working 

 out feasible methods to solve the problems of insect p>ests, winter 

 stores and increase, during the very short period of inactivity on 

 the part of the queen, which nevertheless depletes the numerical 

 strength of the colonies. The problem there is altogether one of 

 combating pests and supplying stores, rather than one of com- 

 bating the effect of low temperatures. 



Many beekeepers have complained to the writer that they had 

 great difficulty in keeping moths out of empty combs during this 

 period, even when these combs are left with the bees. In parts of 

 Florida the writer has seen frames of foundation or empty combs 

 in hives of bees taken possession of during winter months by ants 

 and mud wasps, until in some cases the combs were ruined. In 

 some cases this has been obviated by setting hive stands in 

 troughs filled with oil or water, but where the mud wasps are 

 considered, the problem is still largely to be solved. Small 

 entrances do not always completely do away with such condi- 

 tions. Frames of foundation seem to be particularly desired by 



45 



