Symptoms To Be Observed
Categories: DISEASED BROOD.Bee Keeping: Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
As no part of the breeding season is exempt, the stocks should be
carefully observed during spring, and fore part of summer, relative to
increase of bees. When one or more is much behind others in this
respect, make an examination immediately. (I would here urge again the
convenience of the simple, common hive, over those more complicated, or
suspended, and difficult to turn over. In one case we might make an
examinati
might cause it to be put off too long.) The hive must be inverted, and
the bees smoked out of the way. Our attention is to be directed to the
breeding cells; with a sharp-pointed knife, proceed to cut off the ends
of some of them that appear to be the oldest; bearing in mind that
young bees are always white, until some time after they take the
chrysalis state. Therefore, if a larva is found of a dark color, it is
dead! Should a dozen such be found, the stock should be condemned at
once, and all the bees driven into an empty hive. (The directions for
this have been given, see page 31.) If honey should be scarce, at the
time, they should be fed.
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Some Precautions In Hiving Two Swarms Together
If you are disposed to separate them, but are afraid to work among them to this extent in the middle of the day, or if there is danger of more issuing, to mix with them, and add to your perplexity, of which you already have enough, then you can hive... Some Wax Wasted
When constructing comb, they are constantly wasting wax, either accidentally or voluntarily. The next morning after a swarm is located, the scales may be found, and will continue to increase as long as they are working it; the quantity often amounts... Space Between Hives
As regards the distance between hives generally, I would say let it be as great as convenience will allow. Want of room makes it necessary sometimes to set them close; where such necessity exists, if the hives were dissimilar in color, some dark, ot... Speculators Supported Long Enough
We have faithfully supported a host of speculators on our business for a long time; often not caring one straw about our success, after pocketing the fee of successful "humbuggery." One is no sooner gone, than we are beset by another, with something... Spider Condemned
Spiders are a source of considerable annoyance to the apiarian, as well as to the bees; not so much on account of the number of bees consumed, as their habit of spinning a web about the hive, that will occasionally take a moth, and will probably ent... Spring The Worst Time
As I before remarked in the commencement of this chapter, bees will plunder and fight at any time through the summer, when honey cannot be collected; but _spring_ is the only time that such desperate and persevering efforts are made to obtain it. It... State Of Queen's Cell When Used
They are about half finished, when they receive the eggs; as these eggs hatch into larvae, others are begun, and receive eggs at different periods for several days later. The number of such cells seem to be governed by the prosperity of the bees: wh... State When Swarms Issue
But when there is nothing precarious about the honey, the sealing of these cells is the time to expect the first swarm, which will generally issue the first fair day after one or more are finished. I never missed a prediction for a swarm 48 hours, w... Sting Described
Their sting, as it appears to the naked eye, is but a tiny instrument of war; so small, indeed, that its wound would pass unheeded by all the larger animals, if it was not for the poison introduced at the same instant. It has been described as being... Stocks More Liable To Be Destroyed Last Of Summer
But in July and August it is different in this respect; a single moth may enter the hive when exposed, and deposit her whole burden of several hundred eggs, as in the other case, but the heat from the bees is now unnecessary to hatch them. The weath... Stocks Pruned Now Are Better For Winter
Besides the advantage of saving a large brood by pruning at this season, such stocks will usually refill before fall, and are much better for wintering, which is not the case when it is done later. We must of necessity then waste the brood, and have... Stocks To Be Protected On Some Occasions
The worst time for them to leave the hive is immediately after a new snow has fallen, because if they light on it then, it does not sustain their weight; and they soon work themselves down out of the rays of the sun, and perish. Should it clear off ... Straining Honey And Wax
When about to remove the contents of a hive, I have never found it necessary to use all the precautions often recommended to prevent the access of bees. I have seen it stated that a room in which there was a chimney open, would be unsuitable, as t... Strong Stocks Disposed To Plunder
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. Al... Subject Not Understood
I am not anxious to establish a new theory, but to get at facts. If we pretend to understand natural history, it is important that we have it correct; and if we do not understand it, say so, and leave it open for further investigation. It is my opin... Substitute For Pollen
During these warm days, while waiting for the flowers, the bees are anxious to do something. It is then interesting to watch them, and see what will be used as substitutes for pollen and honey. At such times, I have seen hundreds engaged on a heap o... Success In This Matter
The following suggestion then came to my relief. If this hive was bottom up, what would prevent all this vapor as it arises from the bees from passing off? (It always rises when warm, if permitted.) The hive was inverted; in a few hours the glass wa... Surplus Honey Will Contain Bee-bread
Also pollen, or bee-bread, is always stored in the vicinity of the young brood; some of this will remain mixed with the honey, to please the palate with its _exquisite flavor_. The majority will probably prefer all surplus honey stored in pure comb,... Swarm-catcher
There is another method of keeping swarms separate, contrived and used by a Mr. Loucks, of Herkimer Co., N.Y. He calls it a swarm-catcher; he has a half dozen of them, and says he would not do without for one season, for fifty dollars, as he has a l... Swarms Necessary To Be Seen
It is essential that you see them, that you may know where they cluster, otherwise it might be difficult to find them. They are apt to go farther from the parent stock than others; sometimes fifty rods, and then settle in two places, perhaps that di... Swarms Partly Filled Pay Better Than To Cut Out The Honey
Any person wishing to increase his stocks to the utmost, will find this plan of saving all part-filled hives, of much more advantage than to break it out for sale. Suppose you have an old stock that needs pruning, and have neglected it, or it has re... Swarms Sometimes Return
Occasionally a swarm will issue, and in a few minutes return to the old stock. Mr. Miner gives a cause for this, very ingenious, and romantic, but unfortunately there are but few facts to sustain this hypothesis, (at least I have not discovered them... Symptoms To Be Observed
As no part of the breeding season is exempt, the stocks should be carefully observed during spring, and fore part of summer, relative to increase of bees. When one or more is much behind others in this respect, make an examination immediately. (I wo... Temperature Of Room
The temperature of such a room will vary according to the number and strength of the stocks put in; 100 or more would be very sure to keep it above the freezing point at all times. Putting a very few into such a room, and depending on the bees to ma... Terms Applied To Young Bees
The young bee, when it first leaves the egg, is termed grub, maggot, worm, or larva; from this state it changes to the shape of the perfect bee, which is said to be three days after finishing the cocoon; from the time of this change, till it is read... The Author Has No Patent To Recommend
To remove from the mind of the reader all apprehension that I am about condemning one patent to recommend another, I would say in the beginning, that I have _no patent to praise, no interest in deceiving_, and I hope no prejudices to influence me, i... The Author's Remedy
For a time, I supposed that this moisture on the combs gradually mixed with the honey, making it thin, and that the bees eating so much water with their food, would affect them as described. Some experiments that followed, induced me to assign cold ... The Cause
When extreme hot weather occurs immediately after the bees have been gathering from a plentiful harvest for two or three weeks, or even during the yield, the wax composing new combs is very liable to be softened, till they break loose from their fas... The Cause Uncertain
But when I attempted the next link in the chain (to wit) What caused the death of this brood just at this stage of development? I was obliged to stop. Not the least satisfaction could be obtained. All inquiries among the bee-keepers of my acquaintan... The Effect Of Ice Or Frost On Bees And Comb
When the bees are not smothered, this water in the hive is the source of other mischief. The combs are quite certain to mould. The water mould or dampness on the honey renders it thin, and unhealthy for the bees, causing dysentery, or the accumulati... The Fumigator
I am indebted to a communication from J. M. Weeks, published on page 151 of the Cultivator for 1841, for this method. The description of the fumigator that I constructed will vary a trifle from his, but will retain the principle. I obtained a tin t... The Idea Of Bees Not Freezing Has Led To Errors In Practice
By close observation we shall probably discover that the assertion so often repeated, that bees have never frozen except when without honey, has led to an erroneous practice. ... The Manner
After the first queen was matured, and had left her cell, I caught her within six hours, taking advantage of her younger sisters, which were yet sealed up, and of course could offer no resistance. She first made an opening that would allow her to re... The Next Best Place For Wintering Bees
A _dry_, warm cellar is the next best place for wintering them; the apiarian having one perfectly dark, with room to spare, will find it a very good place, in the absence of a room above ground. If a large number was put in, some means of ventilatio... The Number Of Eggs Deposited By The Queen Guessed At
The number of eggs that a queen will deposit is often another point of guess-work. When the estimate does not exceed 200 per diem, I have no reason to dispute it; the number will probably fall short in some cases, and exceed it in others. Some write... The Queen Liable To Be Lost In Her Excursions
This excursion of the queen, whenever I have witnessed it, always took place a little after the middle of the day, when the drones were out in the greatest numbers. At such times I have seen them leave amid rather more commotion than usual among the... The Time When It Occurs
Thus we see that queens are lost on these occasions from some cause, and part of them by entering the wrong hive, perhaps most of them; if so, it is another good reason for not packing stocks too close. The hives are very often nearly alike in color... Their Battles
I will here describe some of their battles. I have in the spring frequently seen the whole front side of the hive covered with the combatants, (but for such hives I have no fears; they are able to defend themselves.) Several will surround one strang... Their Industry
Industry belongs to their nature. When the flowers yield honey, and the weather is fine, they need no impulse from man to perform their part. When their tenement is supplied with all things necessary to reach another spring, or their store-house ful... Their Manner Of Attack
I must disagree with any one who says we always have warning before being stung. I have been stung _a few times_ myself. Two-thirds of them were received without the least notice--the first intimation was the "blow." At other times, when fully deter... Their Means Of Defence
Nature has armed them with means to defend their stores, and provided them with combativeness sufficient to use them when necessary. This could not be bettered. If they were powerless to repel an enemy, there are a thousand lazy depredators, man not... Their Progress Described
In a few days, I could see at first a little white dust, like flour, on the side of the combs, and on the bottom of the jar. As the worms grew larger, this dust was coarser. By looking closely at the combs, a small white thread-like line was first p... They Are Poor Dependence
Therefore I would recommend getting a royal cell whenever it is practical. There is yet another advantage; you will have a queen ready to lay eggs two or three weeks earlier, than when they are compelled to commence with the egg. I have put such pie... Three Kinds Of Bees
Every prosperous swarm, or family of bees, must contain one queen, several thousand workers, and, part of the year, a few hundred drones. ...