AMONG THE BEES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 230, 11 September 1934, Page 9

AMONG THE BEES

Seasonal Notes for Apiarists OVERHAULING THE HIVES Hawke’s Bay bee-keepers should by now have overhauled their hives, according to Mr L. Roisterer, Government Apiary Instructor, Hastings who, in the course of an interview, emphasised the necessity for apiarists thoroughly to inspect their hives and make certain that no disease was present. In cases where bee-keepers were doubtful us to the presence of disease, Mr Roisterer said that such apiarists should see him so that the matter could be investigate;]. Feeding problems and hive steres in relation to disease were also discussed, Mr leistbter issuing a warning to young and inexperienced bee-keepers regarding the use ot held-over honey for feeding purposes.

“Every apiarist should by now have completed bis first overhaul,” stated Mr Reisterer. “This first overhaul consists chiefly of noting the general condition of the bees, hive strength, the numbers of frames of bro-ad, the amount of hive stores, the quality of the queen bee, absence of disease, and the general cleaning of bottom boards and moisture from the hives. Every care should be taken to see if any disease is in evidence. If bee-keepers are in an,/ doubt they should advise me. It is in the interest of both the Department of Agriculture and the lioe-keeper to see that the hives are free from disease. HIVE STRENGTH. “Hives where the bees are covering seven frames or more, which would mean having in the vicinity of four or five frames of brood, may be considered as being in good order, but should the strength be under three frames of bees, the condition would be weak. Bee-keepers would be well advised to unite hives which are below strength, as the amount of attention required to. nurse them through the forthcoming season would not be worth while. ‘‘ln the case of strong hives, extra super room should not be necessary

unless the bees urgently require it. Should this provision be made at too early a stage it would only have a detrimental effect on the bees and would arrest their general progress. “Spreading brood should be left, entirely alone for the time being and in cases where it is desired to give the queen bees extra roonf tor expansion, good worked-out comb on the outside of the brood will be sufficient. On no account should a frame of brood be placed as an outer frame in the hive. The procedure is that a frame of honey and pollen should occupy this outer position and, according to the quality of the frames, they should be placed toward the brood. HIVE STORES. “Should it be found that any of the hives are short in hive stores, feeding must be resorted to in localities where no spring flow of nectar is available. Unless hives are, however, exceptionally short it would be advisable to leave any feeding until the end of the present month,” commented Mr Reisterer.

“If a certain amount of comb honey has been held over from last season for the express reason of stimulating hive stores, every care must be taken to ensure that it has not come from any diseased source. The hives from which such honey was removed during the past season should of course have been marked, with a view to ascertaining their conditilon as regards to disease this spring. If this has not been carried out, ami disease is found to be present in the apiary, it would be advisable to withhold all comb honey from feeding to the bees, ‘‘Similar precautions are necessaryin supplying strange honey to the hives, when it has been purchased from an area which is unknown. Too often mistakes are made in this connection, particularly by beginners and, after perhaps doing what seems to be a good turn to the bees in their own minds, these bee-keepers are at a loss to know why their hives have become infected with foul brood.