Not Properly Understood
Categories: ROBBERIES.Bee Keeping: Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
A person keeping many hives must expect to be accountable for all
losses in his neighborhood, whether they are lost by mismanagement or
want of management. Many people suppose, if one person has but one
stock, and another has ten, that the ten will combine for plundering
the one. There are no facts, showing any communication between
different families of the same apiary, that I can discover. It is true,
when one family finds another weak and defenceless, possessing
treasure, they have no conscientious scruples about carrying off the
last particle. The hurry and bustle attending it seldom escape the
notice of the other families; and when one hive has been robbed in an
apiary, perhaps two-thirds of the other families, sometimes all, have
participated in the plunder. One family, if it be large, is just as
likely, and more so, to find a weak one among the ten, and commence
plundering, as the other way.
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Methods Of Removing Combs From The Hive
The most convenient way to remove combs from the hive is to take off one of its sides, but this is apt to split the boards, if it was properly nailed, and injure it for subsequent use. With tools such as have been described, it may be done very nice... Miner's Hive
Miner's Equilateral Hive has a cap somewhat smaller than this in diameter; consequently, if we have the requisite room, it must be in its height. But by making the cap of his a little larger, and a few trifling alterations, it would do very well f... Mistaken Conclusions
It is supposed by many, when these worms are found on the board, they get there by accident, having dropped from the combs above. They seem not to understand that the worm generally travels on safe principles; that is, he attaches a thread to whatev... Moderate Weather Best To Remove Bees
In transporting your bees, avoid if possible the two extremes of very cold, or very warm weather. In the latter the combs are so nearly melted, that the weight of the honey will bend them, bursting the cells, spilling the honey, and besmearing the b... More Care Needed By After Swarms When Hived
Should it be thought best to hive after swarms, and risk the chances, they should receive a little extra attention after the first week or two, to destroy the worms; a little timely care may prevent considerable injury. They are apt to construct mor... Most Brood In Spring
In spring and first of summer, when nearly all the combs are empty, and food abundant, they rear brood more extensively than at any other period, (towards fall more combs are filled with honey, giving less room for brood.) The hive soon becomes crow... Mr Miner Not Correct
Mr. T. B. Miner, in his work, has allowed the preparation of queen cells previous to swarming, but he has put off the time of the swarm issuing eight or nine days too long. That is, he has the young queen matured so that she commences piping first, ... Mr Weeks' Theory Not Satisfactory
Mr. J. M. Weeks, in his work on bees, says, "Two causes and two only can be assigned why bees ever swarm: the first, the crowded state of the hive; the second, to avoid the battle of the queens." The first cause producing first swarms, the other sec... Mrs Griffith's Hive
Mrs. Griffith, of New Jersey, is said to have invented the suspended chamber hive with the inclined bottom-board. One would suppose this was sufficiently inconvenient to use, and difficult and expensive to construct. ... My Own Experience
My first experience will probably go back to a date beyond many others; it is almost twenty years since the first case was noticed. I had kept bees but four or five years when I discovered it in one of my best stocks; in fact, it was No. 1 in May an... Natural And Artificial Swarms Equally Prosperous
I can see no difference in artificial or natural swarms of equal size, at the same time. By taking the matter in time into our own hands, with the rules given, we make a sure thing of it, that is, we are sure to get the swarms, when if left to the b... Necessity For Further Observation
Cannot some experiments, practicable to all, be instituted that will throw more light on this subject? The old hypothesis of limiting drone-egg laying to two or three periods, is evidently at fault. ... Necessity Of Care
As this tumult cannot be seen but a few days at most, it is well--yes, it is necessary--to make it a duty to glance at the hives at this period after swarming, _every morning_; a glance is sufficient to tell you of the fact. Remember to reckon from ... No Danger Of A Sting By The Queen
No danger of her sting need be apprehended, as she will not demean herself to use that for a common foe; she must have a _royal_ antagonist. When successful in obtaining one, it is sufficient; put her in a tumbler or some safe place; then put your b... No Necessity To Have The Bees Plundered In The Fall
The apiarian having his bees plundered in the fall, is not fit to have charge of them; their efforts are seldom as strong as in spring, (unless there is a general scarcity,) the weak hives are usually better supplied with bees, and consequently a le... Non-swarmers
Here I will endeavor to be brief; I feel anxious to get through with this disagreeable part, where every word I say will clash with somebody's interest or prejudice. The merits of this hive are to obtain surplus honey with but little trouble, which ... Not Always To Be Depended Upon
One stock in fifteen may commence piping, yet send out no swarm. The bees will change their minds about coming out, and kill their queens, or allow the eldest one of them to destroy the others, or some other way, as they do not always swarm in such ... Not Disposed To Sting
They seldom offer to sting during this part of the operation, even when the box is taken off without tobacco smoke, and carried away from the hive; after a little time, the bees finding themselves away from home, lose all animosity. As honey beco... Not Easily Detected At First
It is very difficult to detect the first hundred or two that die in a stock. But when nine-tenths of the breeding cells hold putrid larvae, there is but very little trouble in making out a correct diagnosis. The bees are few and inactive. When passi... Not Generally Understood
This disease is probably of recent origin. Mr. Miner, it appears, knew nothing of it until he moved from Long Island to Oneida County, in this State. Mr. Weeks, in a communication to the N.E. Farmer, says, "Since the potato rot commenced, I have los... Not Properly Understood
A person keeping many hives must expect to be accountable for all losses in his neighborhood, whether they are lost by mismanagement or want of management. Many people suppose, if one person has but one stock, and another has ten, that the ten will ... Not To Be Depended Upon
Further, these non-swarmers are not always to be depended upon as such. They will sometimes throw off swarms when there is abundant room in the hive as well as in the boxes. ... Not Too Many Stocks Taken Out At Once
When too many are taken out at once, the rush from all the hives is so much like a swarm, that it appears to confuse them. Some of the stocks by this means will get more bees than actually belong to them, while others are proportionably short, which... Nothing But Bees Needed In A Hive
Now I cannot say positively that these things do harm, yet I am quite sure they do no good, as nothing but bees is needed in a hive. Is it reasonable to suppose they are fond of all the "knick-knacks" given them? I have never used any, and could not... Objection Answered
You object to this, and tell me, "the worms will get between the bottom of the hive and the board." Well, I think they will, and what then? Why I expect if you intend to succeed, that you will get them out, and crush their heads; if you cannot give ... Objection To Pruning
The objection to this mode of renewing combs generally, will be the fear of getting stung. But I can assure you there is but little danger, not as much as to walk among the hives in a warm day. Only begin right, use the smoke, and work carefully, wi... Objection To Using Boxes Before The Hive Is Full
Some put on boxes at the time of hiving the bees. In such cases the box is often filled first, and nearly as often will contain brood. I consider it no advantage, and often a damage to do so; as I want the hive full any way--and then if they have ti... Objections To General Feeding
I have known it recommended, and practised by some apiarians, to feed bees all at once in the open air, in a large trough; but whoever realizes much profit by this method, will be very fortunate, as every stock in the neighborhood will soon scent it... Objections To Suspended Bottom-board
Suppose, if you please, that the worm has no thread attached above, and your board is far enough from the bottom of the hive to prevent his reaching it. Of course, he can't get up; but how are your bees to do any better? The worm can reach as high a... Objections To Suspended Hives
All suspended hives _must be objectionable_ to any one who wishes to know the _true_ condition of his bees at all times. Only think of the trouble of unhooking the bottom-board, and getting down on your back, or twisting your neck till your head is ... Obtaining A Queen From Worker Brood
There is yet another method to be adopted, and that is, to obtain a piece of brood-comb containing workers' eggs, or larvae very young. You will generally find it without much trouble, in a young swarm that is making combs; the lower ends usually co... Of Swarms That Lose Their Queen
Swarms that lose their queen the first few hours after being hived, generally return to the parent stock; with the exception that they sometimes unite with some other. If much time has elapsed before the loss, they remain, unless standing on the sam... Old Breeding Cells Will Last A Long Time
These old cells do not need renewing half as often as has been represented. It is the interest of these patent-venders to sell rights; this interest either blinds their eyes as to facts, or lulls the internal monitor of right, while acquisitiveness ... Old Queen Leaves With The First Swarm
The old queen leaves with the first swarm; as soon as cells are ready in the new hive she will deposit her eggs in them, at first for workers; the number perfected will correspond with the supply of honey and size of the swarm. When the supply fails... Old Stocks Are Good As Any If Healthy
When it appears that all are exempt, (by a thorough examination, if not satisfied without,) you need not object to stocks two or three years old; they are just as good as any, sometimes better, (providing they have swarmed the season previous, accor... One Like Common Hive Preferred
If we expect to know what bees are doing in ordinary hives, we must have one similar in every respect, in size, shape, number of bees, &c. The construction of royal cells will be watched by most observers with the greatest interest; now these are ge... Operation Of Laying And The Eggs Described
When a cell is in a condition to receive the egg, on withdrawing her head she immediately curves her abdomen, and inserts it a few seconds. After leaving it, an egg may be seen attached by one end to the bottom; about the sixteenth of an inch in len... Opposition To Simplicity
I am aware that among the thousands whose direct interest is opposed to my simple, plain manner of getting along, many will be ready to contend with me for every departure from their patent, improved or premium hives, as the case may be. ... Other Difficulties
Should they escape starving, there is another difficulty often attending them in continued cold weather. I said that small families exhaled but little. Let us see if we can explain the effect. There is not sufficient animal heat generated to exhal... Other Symptoms Of Worms
But when the bees make no effort to dislodge the enemy or his works in old stocks, the case is somewhat desperate! Instead of the foregoing symptoms we must look for something entirely different. But few young bees will be found. In their place we m...