WINTERING BEES 27 



not less than six inches of packing. If the absorbing scheme 

 is used, eight inches will be better. 



SIZE OF BNTEANCES. 



It has been shown that the entrance should be reduced 

 down so as not to be larger than % x 8 inches ; and in the 

 case of some of the smaller colonies it would be better to 

 have the openings % s 3 or 4 inches. In all cases of out- 

 door wintering it is important to keep these entrances 

 clear, and it may, therefore, be necessary to rake out the 

 dead bees now and then which may accumulate; for should 

 the entrance become clogged the death of the colony must 

 follow. 



WINTER STOBES— QUALITY AND QUANTITY. 



We have now considered the inclosure, or the hives them- 

 selves, for holding a colony for outdoor wintering. Some- 

 thing should be said about the quality and quantity of the 

 stores. It is fair to say that bees outdoors consume nearly 

 twice as much as those indoors; but it is argued, on the 

 other hand, that while the former consume this larger pro- 

 portion of food they keep stronger numerically and will be 

 in better condition at harvest time than those wintered in- 

 doors on half the amount. The opinion of the beekeeping 

 world is somewhat divided on this whole question ; but cer- 

 tain it is that he who winters outdoors should provide twice 

 the amount of stores, or at least see that his colonies, after 

 the main brood-rearing has ceased, have from 20 to 25 lbs. 

 of sealed stores. The beginner will need to weigh up his 

 combs for the first colony or two, to be able to estimate 

 approximately the stores of other colonies. 



As a general thing an eight-frame colony should be crowd- 

 ed on six combs, and a ten on an eight. The division-board 

 must be shoved up close to the frames, and empty space, if 

 any, filled with leaves or other packing material. It is de- 

 sirable that bees have stores given to them at least a month 

 before they go into their winter sleep, so they may have a 



