Danger Of Setting Stocks Too Close
Categories:
THE APIARY.
Bee Keeping:
Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
A case in point occurred in the spring of '49. I sold over twenty
stocks to one person. He had constructed a bee-house, and his
arrangement brought the hives within four inches of each other. The
result was, he entirely lost several stocks; some of them were the
best; others were materially injured, yet he had a few made better by
the addition of bees from other hives; (sometimes a stock will allow
strange bees to unit
with them, but it is seldom, unless a large
number enters--it is safest to keep each family by itself, under
ordinary circumstances). These stocks, before they were moved, had been
collecting pollen, and had their location well marked. Had they been
placed six feet apart, instead of four inches, he probably would not
have lost any, or even two feet might have saved them. I have often
moved them at this season, and placed them at three feet distance, and
had no bad results.
Facts like the foregoing, satisfied me long since that stocks should
occupy their situation for the summer, as early as possible in the
spring, at least before they mark the location; or if they must be
moved after that, let it be nothing short of a mile and a half, and
plenty of room between the hives.