TRAVELLING BEES 221 



during spring, summer, autumn, or winter. But 

 because the winter months are usually the slackest they 

 are most generally favoured for the purpose. 



To move a large apiary successfully without loss calls 

 for considerable preparation beforehand. Should the 

 combs be new and full of honey they should be removed, 

 and well-wired old tough combs put in their place. The 

 author has moved several apiaries hundreds of miles by 

 road and rail, and speaking from experience, it is very 



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unwise to travel hives well stocked with honey. When 

 preparing colonies, leave sufficient honey to see them 

 to the journey's end, and no more. Ventilation is some- 

 times neglected, the temperature of the hive rises with the 

 excitement of shifting, and the combs become very soft, 

 those heavy with honey finally dropping from the frames 

 smothering the unfortunate insects in a sticky mass. 



When only a little honey is left the bees cannot raise 

 the temperature to a dangerous point, because of the 

 absence of free ventilation. On one occasion Mr. Haase, 

 of G-ymbowen Victoria, presented the writer with 20 

 stocks of bees. They were placed in a railway truck with 

 about 1 lb. of honey per hive to see them over a journey 

 of 382 railway and 13 road miles. They were over a 

 week in transit and came through in splendid order- 

 Wire screens covered the tops of the hives and the 



