190 How to manage Bees in Winter. 
very cold weather.* In extreme colds, the hives 
may be taken into out-houfes, which will pre- 
. ferme 
* Bees fhould by no means be difturbed in cold weather, fo 
y to provoke them to go abroad out of their hives, unlefs fome 
very important object is in view: For, not only in winter, but 
even in {pring, fummer and autumn, if they fly out ef their hives 
in cold or wet days, efpecially in the evenings or mornings, ahd 
alight on the ground, their a¢tive powers become inftantly fo 
benumbed, that often within half a minute thereafter, they 
will be rendered totally unable to rife, in confequence of 
which they muft crawl about till they periih. If bees are per, 
mitted to go abroad in time of fnow, which they are tempted to 
do, by the glare of the light, they will alight upon it, and fip a 
little ; but their delicate bodies are foon fo chilled by the cold, 
that their wings lofe their power of raifing them, and inevitable 
death fucceeds. 
Every other part of the hive, as well as the entry, fhould be 
carefully examined, to difcover if it be ail quite clofe ; for after 
long confinement, efpecially when the feafon is advanced fo a- 
bout the middle of February, the bees will make every poflible 
attempt to get out of the hive, as their own ordure then becomes 
offenfive to them, At times, when I have thought the entry to 
the hive was made fo completely fecure, that not a fingle bee 
could get out at any opening, yet, in walking through my apiary, 
J have difcavered them making their way through places, where 
I could not have fuppofed they would have attempted an efcape. 
‘When bees are completely fhut up in a good clofe hive, they are 
in a flate of perfect darknefs ; but, if there be the {mallet aper- 
ture in any part of it, the light, fhining through it, leads them 
directly to the place; when they are apt to make every poffible 
effort to widen it, and, in fuch cafes, they will often fqueeze 
- through 
