98 BEGINNER'S BEE BOOK 



crawl in without having to take wing again. 

 A half hour's watch beside the hive during the 

 height of the honey flow will soon demonstrate 

 the importance of easy access to the hive for 

 the home-coming workers. Hives set up on 

 stakes or blocks are very difficult of access to 

 bees that fall to the ground before reaching the 

 alighting board. In most well-regulated api- 

 aries the hives are placed on cement hive stands, 

 or on boards so that the bees can walk right into 

 the hive from the ground in front. If they are 

 two or three inches higher than the ground 

 around, a board is leaned against the front of 

 the alighting board to bridge the gap. 



Pkovidixg Water. — It is important that 

 water be easy of access, as the bees use large 

 quantities of it, especially in spring when brood 

 rearing is at its height. A tub or half barrel of 

 water, covered with chipped cork or shavings 

 which will enable the bees to reach the water 

 without drowning will serve the purpose very 



