Profitable bee-keeping for small-holders and others by Geary Henry

Author:Geary, Henry
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Bees
Publisher: London, C. A. Pearson ltd.
Published: 1918-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

HIVING A SWARM

ANCIENT AND MODERN HIVES Here will be seen an old straw Skep in company with a modern "W.B.C. " Hive To face page 81

CHAPTER XII

INCREASING AND UNITING

IT frequently happens that it is desirable to divide colonies, either for increasing the stock or with a view to the prevention of swarming. The method usually adopted is the one known as artificial swarming, and it is capable of many variations. Artificial swarming is especially useful in cases where it is suspected that colonies may swarm, for tr^en this may be done for them, and any possible loss of the natural swarm or trouble in securing it obviated. There are certain rules to be observed in this process of division. They are few in number, but they must be rigidly adhered to, or failure will attend the efforts of the apiarist. First, only strong colonies must be divided; secondly, the* swarm must be made in the middle of a warm day, when the bees are flying freely; thirdly, it must not be done before drones are plentiful for the. fertilization of the young queens.

To divide one. colony into two^ take the frame

on which the queen is found and place it in a

new hive, filling up the hive with' frames of empty

comb or sheets of comb foundation. A frame

§2 PROFITABLE BEE-KEEPING

must also be placed in the "first hive to replace the one taken out. Now remove the full colony to a new location, and on the vacant site place the hive containing the queen. The bees which are out gathering, along with others which will return from the removed hive, will make up the swarm, which should be well fed until established. The old stock will raise a new queen, but if a fertile queen can be given, or even a ripe queen-cell, valuable time will be saved.

Where one stock is made into two no honey is secured that season as a rule, and the next variation is recommended as giving moderate increase with a possibility of surplus honey as well.

This form of division consists in making three colonies out of two. Select two strong colonies, and from one of them take five good frames of brood. Place them in an empty hive and fill up both hives with empty combs or sheets of foundation. No bees must be taken with the brood, and the hive containing it must be placed on the stand of the other selected colony, moving the latter to a new position. Thus the bees are secured from one stock and the brood from the other. In this case it will be observed that it is the new colony which has to be given a queen, or if necessary allowed to raise one. If it be desirable the frames of brood may be taken from any number of colonies up to five, when their, loss will not be felt.

We will now reverse this procedure, and turn to

uniting. This operation becomes an obligation at times, as in the case of weak stocks which are unable to winter, or with nuclei at the close of queen-rearing.

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