FEEDING IN THE HU1SH HIVE. 2dJ 



sometimes of that fickle disposition, that they will refuse 

 their food on one day, which they will eat greedily on the 

 following one. If the bees have eaten the food, the plate 

 may be filled again on the subsequent evening, and we con- 

 sider that two platefuls will be amply sufficient for one 

 feeding. 



In the Huish hive, the process of feeding is very simple 

 and easy. The cover of the hive being taken off, the plate 

 is put in the middle of the flap board, and the ttvo side flaps 

 are raised, giving the bees free access to the place where 

 the food is deposited. The top of our hive is well adapted 

 for feeding, having five or seven flaps according to the 

 option of the proprietor. Thus the two side ones being 

 opened, a sufficient space is given for the plate, and we have 

 often found that the bees will ascend to eat, when they will 

 not descend to it ; and this we suspect arises from their repug- 

 nance to descend into a colder temperature, whereas in the 

 upper part of the hive the temperature remains the same. 

 This system of feeding is attended with the very great 

 advantage, that every fear is obviated of an attack from 

 robbers. It is only the inmates of the hive that can have 

 any access to the food, and it is deposited in so secret and 

 inaccessible a place to all stranger bees, that the entrance of 

 the hive may be left in its usually open manner, without any 

 fear of an intruder making his way into the hive to parti- 

 cipate in the sweets. 



In both upper and lower feeding, but particularly in the 

 latter, the liquid should be covered with straws, or paper 

 perforated or cut into nicks, so as to prevent the bees from 

 falling into it and being suffocated. We have known the 

 bees so greedy after their food, that they have actually 

 nibbled away a great portion of the paper, which has been 

 saturated by the mixture. 



The method of feeding differs materially in the winter 

 and in the spring ; in the former, the bees from their torpid 



