THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3258, 23 August 1916, Page 7

THE APIARY.

By J. A.

The first mild, warm day after about the 20th of August is the time that we prefer to make our first inspection in the spring. Jn making that inspection we have in view tho finding out if the colony is normal so far as being queen right is concerned, the amount of stores it contains, and the presence or otherwise of disease. In making the inspection we try to do so with as little disturbance as possible, as quietly and as quickly as we can. Our method of procedure is as follows:—Wo provide ourselves with a comfortable, light, and easilyhandled stool, with a toolbox on one end of it, containing' a kni.'o. a hive tool, and a roll or two of sacking prepared as fuel for tho smoke)'; and also wc provide a good smoker going well. In the spring time most of our work is done without a veil. but we like to have one handy, and often W"3 have a pair of sleeves with rubber bands to prevent the bees from getting- up the sleeves. When the bees are particularly troublesome, if these sleeves are dipped in a solution of carbolic they will be morn effective. Having all these things provided, wo teat ourselves at one side of the colony tc be examined. The roof is taken off and placed behind the hive out of the road. Then as the mat is lifted a few puffs of smoke are blown under it to drive down the bees, 'should they incline to boil out at the entrance, blow a little smoke in there before lifting the mat. _ Now lift out tho outside frame, from whichever side jt can be goi out handiest, and place it against the side or end of the hive. Usually at this curly time of year then; will not bo am bees on these outside' frames, and also or no honey. Tho removal of this Outside frame gives room, to pry over the others, and move thein as you wish, usually the next move will be to lift tho centre fr.am'a of the brood-nest. This may not be the centre frame in the hive, as the ferood-nest may be to one side; it is the centre of the brood-nest we want to get at. - however. One glance at I Ins frame will Usually tell the experienced beekeeper all ho wants to know. If (here is brood there at all it indicates that the colony is queenright, and if there '- ' in 10 -hive Jfc°i3 almost certain 1" ' on ihafc frame Should the colony b mi free from disease it can b< us ' help light polonies, as it is a : ■ to jo fairly heavy hi stores. 0 tst year

was that colonies that lost their queen during the winter months only used, up to Soptombex-, about one-half as much as those that wove queen-right. The average aoss in weight of queen-right colonies was about 161!) to'l7ib. while that of queenless colonies was from Sib to dlb. Owing to tins fact, tho combs of queenless oolomes arc valuable for helping light colonies. No value can be put on "the queenless bees; whether they are accepted or not by the colonics into which they are put is a matter of little consequence. It disease shows in the colonv on this first round, and especially if the colonies were clean in the autumn, it will show only on tho two or throe combs on which breeding has taken place up lo this time. We remove tha,combs on which disease exist; altogether, sacrificing what brood they contain, and close up

tho remainder. It is not a cure, but it lessens the danger of infection, and then too colony is marked for treatment when there is plenty nectar coming in and when tner? is no danger of robbing. We advise an outside mark to be put on those colonies, and that they be left untouched when woiking amongst the other colonies. Ti it should be necessary to examine them do so If to in the coning when the closing m of night would save any danger of attack from robbers. The third cause for inspection at this early stage in the season is to know how tho colonics stand for stores As most of our leaders know, we advocate using tiie scales for this purpose. That, however, is not tho general practice, and we are writing probably for more who depend on guesswork than who depend on the scales. To such we sav that September and October aro the dangerous months, and if: is a great pity to winter the bees and then lose them; so bo particular to see that they are well provided, and, if not, put on feeders and feed them. - Our system is to weigh the beesi in the autumn, and mark tho weight on the hives. _ Then, previous to the first examination in tho spring, we weigh them again, and again' nofo the weight on the hive. We then know absolutely tho condition of each colonv —there is no guesswork about it; and, further, we can by this means pick out the queenless colonics. We know that some beekeepers regard this as a fad and altogether too laborious. V\"e venture to say. however, that instead of boinav as at present, the exception the day will come when this practice will be the rule.