A WINTER FLOW OP HONEY 195 



number of eggs laid within a shorter period than nature 

 originally intended, must eventually cut short the utility 

 of the queen? 



EXHAUSTED QUEENS IN SPRING. 



It sometimes happens after a dry critical period in 

 midsummer, the apiarist will experience a late autumn 

 flow (usually from "Iron-bark" or "Stringy bark") and 

 should the weather be mild the flow continues throughout 

 the winter. This brings the position already outlined 

 prominently before the apiarist who is confronted in the 

 spring with an apiary headed by queens (not aged) 

 exhausted with the continued brood-rearing during an 

 abnormal period. Without the exercise of some foresight 

 the previous autumn, the apiarist will probably experi- 

 ence severe loss in the spring. 



.One after another, the queens cease to lay, with the 

 result that the hives get below normal strength as the 

 spring flow increases. When this is suspected, prepare 

 a number of nuclei while the bees are yet strong in the 

 autumn and raise sufficient cells to provide a queen for 

 each nucleus. In due time a number of laying queens 

 will be on hand. With the warm weather and honey flow 

 the nuclei will build up strong enough — perhaps to cover 

 5 frames — to winter nicely. It is no "stunt" to winter 

 nuclei in Australasia. 



Then in spring, as fast as the queens fail, 

 proceed as follows: — Wait until dusk, then remove 

 the outside combs of the colony which are probably 

 broodless, and place the four or five framed nucleus 

 in the space so made. Handle the nuclei frames 

 without displacing them from the group, so that the 

 queen is not disturbed on the centre combs. The loss of 

 queens in capable hands will not be over % per cent. This 

 plan is very sure and the colonies are in splendid condition 

 for the early flow. In fact this is a good practice to follow 

 when dealing with old queens failing in early spring, 

 before the bees are numerous enough to rear young ones. 

 This condition is not at all uncommon in Australasian 

 apiaries. 



