When Queens Are Reared
Categories: BREEDING.Bee Keeping: Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
Also, when the combs become crowded with bees, and honey plenty, the
preparations for young queens commence: as the first step towards
swarming, from one to twenty royal cells are begun; when about half
completed, the queen (if all continues favorable) will deposit eggs in
them, these will be glued fast by one end like those for the workers;
there is no doubt but they are precisely the same kind of eggs that
produce ot
a superabundance of food; at least, it appears so from the fact, that a
few times I have found a quantity remaining in the cell after the queen
had left. The consistence of this food is about like cream, the color
some lighter, or just tinged with yellow. If it was thin like water, or
even honey, I cannot imagine how it could be made to stay in the upper
end of an inverted cell of that size in such quantities as are put in,
as the bees often fill it near half full. Sometimes a cell of this kind
will contain this food, and no worm to feed upon it. I _guessed_ the
bees had compounded more than their present necessities required, and
that they stored it there to have it ready, also, that being there all
might know it was for royalty.
The taste is said to be "more pungent" than food given to the worker,
and the difference in food changes the bee from a worker to a queen. I
have nothing to say against this hypothesis; it may be so, or the young
bee being obliged to stand on its head may effect it, or both causes
combined may effect the change. I never tasted this food, or found any
test to apply.
The preceding plate represents a piece of comb containing all the
different cells--those at the left hand the size for drones. In the
centre are few that appear sealed over, others nearly covered, others
the larva in different stages of growth, as well as the eggs. _Fig. 1_
represents a queen's cell just commenced. They are usually started thus
far the first season, very frequently when the hive is only half or
two-thirds full. _Fig. 2_ is a cell sufficiently advanced to receive
the egg. _Fig. 3_ one finished, the stage when the first swarm leaves.
_Fig. 4_ when a queen has been perfected and left. _Fig. 5_ is a cell
where its occupant has been destroyed by a rival, and removed by the
workers. It will be perceived that each finished queen's cell contains
as much wax as fifty made for the workers.
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To Prevent Swarms Uniting With Those Already Hived
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A toad is discovered near the hives, and forthwith he is executed as a bee-eater. "He ought to be killed for his looks, if nothing else!" He is thus often sacrificed _really_ on account of his appearance, while pretending he is a villain. It is true... Tobacco Smoke Preferred To Slides
When boxes are to be taken off, if a slide of tin, zinc, &c., is used to close the holes, some of the bees are apt to be crushed, others will find themselves minus a head, leg, or abdomen, and all of them be irritable for several days. A little toba... Too Much Honey May Sometimes Be Stored
After the flowers fail, and all the brood has matured and left the combs, it sometimes happens that a stock has an opportunity of plundering, and rapidly filling all those cells that had been occupied with brood during the yield of honey, and which ... Trap To Catch Worms
You may now raise it, but you may still catch the worms by laying under the bees a narrow shingle, a stick of elder split in two lengthwise, and the pith scraped out, or anything else that will afford them protection from the bees, and where they ma... Two Families Together Will Not Consume As Much As If Separate
Even when a stock already contains bees enough to make it safe for winter, another of the same number of bees may be added, and _the consumption of honey will not be five lbs. more than one swarm would consume alone_. If they should be wintered in t... Two May Be United
Whenever these swarms issue near enough together, it is best to unite them. I have said second swarms were generally half as large as the first. By this rule, two second swarms would contain as many bees as a first one, and four of the third, or one... Two Or More Swarms Liable To Unite
If we expect to keep many stocks, the chances are that two or more may issue at one time; and when they do, they nearly always cluster together (I once knew an instance where only three stocks were kept; they all swarmed and clustered together). It ... Two Sides Of The Question
If we suppose that the eggs are all alike, and the subsequent treatment makes either workers, drones, or queens, and look to analogy for support, we shall find much against, as well as for it. For instance, we find in almost every department of anim... Two Things To Be Prevented
When the boxes are free from the bees, two things are to be prevented, if we wish to save our honey till cold weather. One is to keep out the worms, the other to prevent souring. The last may be new to many, but some few of us have had it caused by ... Uncertainty In Weight Of Bees
A large swarm will probably carry with them some five or six pounds of honey from the parent stock. I only guess at this, because I am uncertain what the bees weigh exactly. "I can tell you," some one exclaims, "I saw some weighed,--so many weigh ju... Uniting Comb And Honey As Well As Bees
The process of uniting them is simple. Smoke both the stocks or swarms thoroughly, and turn them over. Choose the one with the straightest combs, or the one nearest full, to receive the contents of the other; trim off the points of the combs to make... Uniting With Tobacco Smoke
By the use of tobacco smoke, bees may be united with nearly the same success. First, smoke the two to be united, thoroughly; disturb them and smoke again, that all may become partially drunk, and acquire the same scent. Then invert both hives, and w... Unprofitable If Too Large
If too large, more honey will be stored than is required for their winter use. It is evident a portion might have been taken, if it had been stored in boxes. The swarms will not be proportionably large when they do issue, which is seldom--but there ... Use Of Tobacco Smoke
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Now instead of having one piece or pane of glass in the side of several hives, I would recommend having one or more with glass on every side; because we might have it on three sides, and not the fourth; and this might contain all the queen cells, an... What They Do With Propolis
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This substance is first used to solder up all the cracks, flaws, and irregularities about the hive. A coat is then spread over the inside throughout; when the hive is full, and many bees cluster outside, the latter part of summer, a coat of it is al... When Bees Are Needed
I have frequently had stocks with stores amply sufficient to carry a good family through the winter, and yet too few bees to last till January, or even to defend themselves from the robbers. Hence I am in the habit of supplying bees oftener than hon... When Bees Are Safe
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Whenever the hive is well supplied with honey, and plenty of bees, a portion of eggs are deposited in the drone-cells, which three or four days more are necessary to mature than the worker. ... When Feeding Should Be Done For Stock Hives
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I have gone up a ladder fifteen feet, got the bees in the hive in this way, and backed down without difficulty. After putting the hive in its place, sometimes a part will go back; in that case, a small branch full of leaves should be held directly u... When Queens Are Reared
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