43 



SEASONAL OPERATIONS, ETC. 



Early Spring Work. 



August is one of the most critical months in the year, as the bees 

 have awakened from their semi-dormant condition, and the incessant 

 demand of the young brood for food will deplete the stores in a way 

 to astonish even the seasoned beekeeper. 



Advantage may be taken of the mild weather occasionally 

 obtaining in August to give the hives their first inspection of the 

 season. This is very necessary where sufficient stores have not been 

 left to carry the bees through the first stages of brood-rearing, which 

 in the milder parts of the Dominion will have commenced in earnest. 

 It is not wise to delay this work till breeding is well advanced, as it 

 may lead to losses through a shortage of stores. The examination 

 is made for the purpose of determining the amount of food in each 

 colony, to note the queenless hives, and to ensure that the bees are 

 in a suitable condition to carry on brood-rearing until the appear- 

 ance of the earh' spring flowers. In making the examination it is 

 necessary to carry out the work expeditiously, choosing the warmest 

 hours of the mildest days. 



In cases where the supers have been left on the hives these should 

 be removed, as advised previously. Have the smoker in readiness. 

 After removing the mat take out one of the end frames. This will 

 facilitate the examination of the centre combs. Under normal con- 

 ditions the centre combs wiU contain varjdng-sized patches of brood, 

 according to the strength of the colonies. This wUl at once denote 

 whether the colony has a lajdng queen or not. However, it is not 

 wise to conclude at once that the colony is queenless if brood is not 

 visible, so much depending on the locality and the weather preceding 

 the examination. If the colony is strong and contented it is as well 

 to shelve the question of its queenlessness until a later date, when a 

 further examination may be carried out. 



If each hive is to be left for the next few weeks undisturbed it 

 should contain at least i8 lb. to 20 lb. of honey ; failing this amount, 

 preparation should be made for feeding. 



Preparations for the Season. 

 By the end of August the beekeeper should have his preparations 

 for the season's work well in hand. Hive and frame making, also the 

 overhaul of all defective supers, roofs, and bottom-boards, should be 

 undertaken in earnest. It is not wise to postpone the mechanical part 

 of the work in the apiary until the bees ■ themselves require the major 

 portion of the beekeeper's time. If increase is desirable, and more 

 especially when the apiary is being enlarged, make ample provision 

 for it. Nothing is more tantalizing than to leave a swarm hanging 

 on a tree whilst a hive is being hastily put together. 



Apiary Register. 

 There is no gainsaying the advantages to be derived from making 

 a complete record of the individual hives in the apiary. Records thus 

 kept enable the beekeeper to work to a system and tend to improve 



