408 Beekeeping 



colony. Since it is desirable to have combs built on full 

 sheets, the best policy is to replace any irregular combs with 

 full sheets of foundation or good combs later in the season. 

 If the treatment just described is given at the beginning 

 of a good honey-flow, it is practically equivalent to artificial 

 swarming (p. 283) and may result in an actual increase in 

 the surplus honey, especially in the case of comb-honey 

 production. The wax rendered from the combs will sell 

 for enough to pay for the foundation used if full sheets of 

 foundation are employed. If treatment must be givSn at 

 some other time, so that the colony must be fed, the cost is 

 materially increased. In feeding, it is best to use sugar syrup 

 or honey that is known to have come from healthy colonies. 



Fall treatment. 



If it is necessary to treat a colony so late in the fall that it 

 would be impossible for the bees to prepare for winter without 

 assistance, the treatment may be modified by shaking the 

 bees on to combs entirely full of honey so that there is no place 

 for any brood to be reared. This will usually be satisfactory 

 only after brood-rearing has entirely ceased. Unless a colony 

 is quite strong it does not pay to treat in the fall, but it should 

 be destroyed or united with another colony. In case a 

 diseased colony dies outdoors in the winter, there is danger 

 that other bees may have opportunity to rob the hive before 

 the beekeeper can close the entrance. In case bees are 

 wintered in the cellar it is more advisable to risk wintering 

 before treatment, for if the colony does die the hive will not 

 be robbed. 



Additional treatment for European foul brood. 



Since, as stated previously, Italian bees seem to be better 

 able to withstand European foul brood than are other races, 

 it is recommended that apiaries in regions where this disease is 

 prevalent be requeened with young, vigorous Italian queens 

 of good stock. This should be done whether or not the 

 shaking treatment is given. 



