Strong Stocks Disposed To Plunder
Categories:
FALL MANAGEMENT.
Bee Keeping:
Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
Strong stocks, that during a yield have occupied every cell with brood
and honey, when it fails, will soon have empty cells left by the young
bees, hatching. These empty cells, without honey to fill them, appear
to be a source of much uneasiness. Although such hive and caps may be
well stored, I have ever found them to be the worst in the apiary, much
more disposed to plunder, than weaker ones with half the honey. As weak
/>
stocks cannot be bettered now, it is best to remove them at once, and
put the temptation out of the way. Carelessness is but a sorry excuse,
for letting bees establish this habit of dishonesty. Should any stocks
be weak from disease, the consequences would be even more disastrous
than bad habits; the reasons why such impure honey should not go into
thrifty stocks, have already been given. If we want the least possible
trouble with our bees, none but the best should be selected for winter.
But what constitutes a good stock, seems to be but partially
understood; if we judge from the number lost annually, too many are
careless, or ignorant in the selection; supposing, perhaps, because a
stock has been good one winter and swarmed well, it must of course be
right; the mistake is often fatal.