AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 131 



wax will be seen at the entrance, which is really portions 

 of the cappings of the honey cells. By this time, the 

 condition of the robbed colony is hopeless ; it will be 

 queenless, the queen probably having been killed, and 

 all the honey robbed out, when the best that can be done 

 if there are a good few bees still in the hive is to put it 

 over a queen excluder on another hive. 



At the beginning of the attack, a wet cloth, or bunch 

 of wet grass laid across the entrance, and a douch of 

 water from a watering pot through a fine rose held 

 breast high in front of the hive, so as to sprinkle the bees 

 flying near the entrance will usually stop a mild case. 

 The cloth or grass should be removed occasionally to 

 allow bees to come out but none to go in. A rag- 

 sprinkled with kerosene, or carbolic acid, hung over the 

 entrance is said to be effective, but when a hive is 

 severely attacked it is best to remove it away altogether, 

 and to watch the adjoining hives closely for a while. 

 The robbed hive may also change places with an extra 

 strong colony, which will be effective. 



PREPARING FOR WINTER. 



It almost seems out of place to speak of preparing for 

 winter in connection with bee culture in Australasia, 

 where the average temperature and climate suggests 

 perpetual summer , when compared with the severe 

 winters of some of the chief bee-keeping countries of the 

 Northern Hemisphere. There is, however, a short 

 period of about three months, when in the Southern parts 

 breeding ceases, and it is advisable during that time not 

 to meddle with the hives at all unless something unusual 

 occurs. 



WINTER FOOD SUPPLY. 



Early in May is the most suitable time for finally 

 fixing up the bees for winter. The bees should have 

 been breeding up to about this time to ensure a large 

 number of young bees going into winter quarters. Go 

 through each hive and note the food supply ; about 30 lbs. 



