Starting right with bees .. by Rowe H. G. (Henry Grant) 1870-1934

Author:Rowe, H. G. (Henry Grant), 1870-1934
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Bees
Publisher: Medina, Ohio, A. I. Root company
Published: 1922-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

Queen and drone trap placed at the hive entrance.

Such a division may be united with one having a queen, if this can be done before the bees go back to their respective old locations.

Whenever hiving bees that may be accompanied by a virgin queen, one of the frames in the new hive may well be replaced by a frame of comb containing young larvae. This provides against failure of the virgin to mate.

Smoking the Swarm.

Common sense will dictate to the beginner that he handle swarming bees as gently as possible. They are usually gorged with honey when issuing in a swai-m from the hive, and ordinarily they may be handled without fear of stings. Yet they can and do occasionally sting when swarming. This is the reason for having a smoker on hand and using it, if necessary, when first closely approaching a swarm clustered on a bush or tree. Use the smoke, too, on the clustered swarm whenever they appear to show any signs of hostility. Swarms that have been clustered for a half day or more are sometimes inclined to be very cross and extra precaution should be taken in such cases. But under ordinary circumstances the smoker will be little needed in hi\'ing a swarm.

General Observations on Swarming.

Let it be remembered that, excepting in parts of the South, the more swarming there is in an apiary the smaller will be the surplus-honey crop. Therefore, swarming is not desirable when the owner of bees is working for a crop of honey. This fact leads the owners of many apiaries either to restrict swarming greatly or to try to prevent it altogether. (See pages 73-76 and 84-88.)

Swarm Prevention and Control.

Swarm prevention is one of the greatest problems which the beekeeper has to solve. For the particular methods of prevention or control of swarming in extracted-honey production and in comb-honey production, see the discussion of this sub.i'ect in Chapters XII and XIV.

EXTRACTED HONEY—HONEY FLOW AND HARVEST.

CHAPTER XII.

The outfit for extracted-honey production, it will be remembered (page 11), is the same for comb-honey except that an extractor and an uncapping-knife will be needed, and instead of comb-honey supers ex-tracting-supers will be needed.

DiflFerences Between Comb and Extracted Honey Production ;

As already pointed out it is much easier to produce extracted honey than to produce comb honey, for bees are less inclined to begin work in a super of small section boxes than they are in a super of large combs; also the bees are obliged to convert considerable honey into wax in order to draw the foundation of the sections into comb, whereas in extracted-honey production the same comb is used year after year and the bees are therefore able to store all their freshly gathered honey in the combs, instead of converting part of it into wax. Furthermore, the extracted-honey producer is able to give an abundance of empty combs in order to prevent swarming, but the comb-honey producer is obliged to keep his colonies more crowded for room in order that the sections shall be well filled and most of them completed.

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