330 WDSTTEEING BEES. 



the weather is very severe, a portion melting in the 

 day, and freezing again at night. 



THE EFFECT OF ICE OK FROST ON BEES AND COMB. 



When the bees are not smothered, this water in the 

 hive is the source of other mischief. The combs are 

 quite certain to mould. The water mould or dampness 

 on the honey renders it thin, and unhealthy for the bees, 

 causing dysentery, or the accumulation of fsecesthat 

 they are unable to retain. When the hive contains a 

 very large family, or a very small one, there will be 

 less frost on the combs, — the animal heat of the first 

 will drive it off; in the latter there will be but little 

 exhaled. 



FROST MAY CAUSE STARVATION. 



This frost is frequently the cause of medium or 

 small families starving in cold weather, even when 

 there is plenty of honey in the hive. Suppose all the 

 honey in the immediate vicinity of the cluster of bees 

 is exhausted, and the combs in every direction from 

 them are covered with frost; if a bee should leave 

 the mass and venture among them for a supply, 

 its fate would be as certain as starvation. And with- 

 out timely mtervention of warmer weather, they mvM' 

 perish ! 



OTHER DIFFICULTIES. 



Should they escape starving, there is another diffi- 

 culty often attending them in continued cold weather. 

 I said that small families exhaled but little. Let ua 

 see if we can explain the effect. 



