WINTER CARE OF HIVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22141, 21 June 1935, Page 5

WINTER CARE OF HIVES

WORK AMONG THE BEES INDICATIONS OF WELLBEING ESTIMATING STORES OF FOOD The cold winter weather being now here, hives should be left undisturbed until the first examination early in August. Bees by now will have glued the mat to the frames, and sealed up any cracks which would admit cold air, with propolis, that gummy substance which they gather from the buds and leaves of certain trees. The opening of hives now would be disturbing to their comfort, and likely to do more harm I than good. Should it l>e necessary to open a hive the operation should be performed during the middle of a warm day only, and it should be closed again as soon as possible. Weeds or rank growth may require to be again cut away from the entrances and around the hives, while a periodical inspection to see that no covers have been blown off or entrance guards dislodged, is advisable. During these visits much may be learned by watching the bees at the hive entrances, experienced beekeepers being able to form a fair idea of the inside conditions of a colony by observing the actions of the bees. If they are flying in numbers, bringing in pollen, and no bees are crawling languidly about the entrance, possibly with shiny distended bodies, it may be assumed that the colony is strong in bees, that a little brood rearing is going on, and that the bees are liealtliy. The presence of young bees, distinguishable by their downy bodies or by the manner in which they hover in front of the hive while taking their first flight, would show that brood was still emerging, A rough estimate of the conditions of the stores may be formed by placing the fingers beneath the back of the bottom board and gently lifting. If the hive contains a number of frames of brood or pollen the heavy weight will be deceptive, but a very light hive will, of course, need to be further examined, although if the hives have been packed down correctly for the winter, all should be in order at least until extensive brood rearing commences in the spring.