38 



Texas Depabtment op Agriculture. 



Two hundred colonies on one trip. 



HOW TO SHIP BEES. 



Small lots should always be shipped by express. They should not 

 be shipped in extreme hot weather, unless absolutely necessary, as 

 the risk of losing colonies by over-heating is great. The hives are 

 prepared in the way already described, by screening the entrances 

 and the entire top of the hives. To prevent damage to the screens 

 over the hives, the covers are fastened over some cleats, tacked on each 

 end on the upper sides of the screens, so an opening, an inch or more 

 wide, and the entire length of the cover, is left between it and the 

 screens, to allow proper ventilation. 



While strong colonies will stand shipping with an empty super 

 over the hive instead of the shallower rims of the usual screens used, 

 additional ventilation is necessary in very warm weather. This is 

 provided by replacing the bottoms of the hives with a similar screen- 

 covered rim as on top, being sure to nail on two cleats securely, one 

 under each end, to keep the hives at least an inch, or more, from the 

 ground, or floor, to prevent cutting off ventilation. Very populous 

 colonies should not be shipped in one hive at such times, as the great 

 number of bees, crowding against the screens, is sure to prevent proper 

 air circulation and cause smothering of the colonies. 



All heavy combs of honey should be replaced by empty, or only 

 partly filled ones, or the honey removed by extracting, as the danger 

 of breakage and the loss of the colonies by the leaking of honey is 

 great It is only necessary to leave enough honey to last the colonies 

 tor the journey, and, as express rates are high, the lighter the pack- 

 ages are, the better. 



One, two and three frame nuclei are shipped in very light erat^ 

 made expressly for the purpose. These are screened both at top and 

 bottom, and have a light cover board nailed to cleats, an inch, or more 

 higher than the top of the crate. This board is convenient to handle 

 them by, besides protecting the screens, and is also used for the ad- 

 dress and the proper precautionary notice of contents and request 

 tor careful handling of the bees in transit. 



