THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 9

THE APIARY.

By

J. A.

TALKS FOR BEGINNERS.—No. VII. Apiary tools and the handling of bees is the subject for this talk. The most necessary tool is a good smoker; without it beekeeping would find very few with patience gnd enthusiasm enough to keen on. 'ihe smokers now in use have been slowly evolved from what was at first a very primitive tool, but has gradually become very effective in its use and perfect in its construction. Ihe fire-box is made of either tin or copper; the latter, while much the more costly to begin with, is certainly the most economical in the end, and gives the most satisfaction. The bellows are economically con etructed, and lorai a handle and framework for the fire-box. The soft leather is easily renewed, though when properly taken ca>e of it will last for quite a long time. The firing mostly used is old sacking. This does not usually last a- young . beekeeper very long, as the constant blowing of the bellows- sends the fire through it fast; but ae he gains experience the bellows have less to do, and the sacking will smoulder for a long time. Beside the smoker, a hive too! is required. This has i snaily a chisel at one end and a scraper at the other. ; The chisel end being used to pry the frames j apart, and the scraper to take off bur ! combs. Our preference in this respect is for j a pocket knife with the blade turned forward j at the point. We are carrying one now that j has done duty faithfully for most of 20 j years. It is well worn, and should have been pensioned or lost long ag*o, but it simply won’t say good-bye, and war prices have made it precious. Another necessary tool in the apiary—at least it is so to the writer —is a handy stool. If this is made so that a petrol tin with a side cut out of it will fit in lengthways between the ends, and just under the seat, it will form a very good combination of seat and scrap-tin. Young men who have no back can do without a seat, as stooping does not affect them. To handle a hive of bees the orthodox way is to first- blow in a few puffs of smoke at j the entrance. At times th : s is necessary, j but more often it is not. In the spring j time and during a good part of the honey j flow the bees will pay very little attention j to whit is going on at the top of their hive, j and when such is the ease it is a useless j check to blow smoke in at the entrance, j There are, however, times when the bees, : being disturbed, will bubble out at ihe eu- : trance, and then smoke is required. The next operation is to take off the cover, and. if there is a mate, lift one end of it and blow smoke underneath. The effect of this is to frighten the bees, and when that is done their instinct leads them to go to a ! honey cell and fill their sacks. When this j is done they become comparatively harm- [ less. In spring work usually a few puffs j of smoke is all that is required, but- later. - in extracting time, the beekeeper requires j to have the smoker handy, and will pro- | bably have frequent occasion to use it. In j examining a hive it is a go-od plan to first i take out, an outside frame and stand it j against the back of the hive; this will give j the beekeeper plenty of room, so that he j can prise the frames apart at whatever part ! of the hive he wishes to operate. The 1 frames he wishes to examine can then be | lifted out. If the combs are new and heavy with honey and bees, lie will require to keep the comb perpendicular, and be care- | fnl in reversing the position to keep them so. Otherwise there would be breakage. If the beekeeper desires to- find a queen he should seat himself to one, side of the hive, take out a frame or two if they are light and without brood,, then take the frames one by one, examine both sides carefullv and quickly, and place against the side nearest to him. Always be careful in handling frames to put them back in the same order they were before removal. Tf the ; queen is not found in the first run through go back over ihe combs more slowly, pine- j mg them in rotation on the other side. With a little practice the first run through will usually find her majesty, and if it is desired to handle her be careful, catch her only by the wings or the thorax, never bv the abdomen. It is better, perhaps, at least for clumsy fingers, to put a cage over her and let her run up into it. Handling bees is a perfectly natural and easy thing to learn, but- there are some things that count; one is to have the smoker clean and working well , another is to be cool and gentle in working. Quick movements and jarring and knocking the hive is not good. A beekeener ought- to work quietly without rush or bustle. There is a great deal -F head work to be done in 1 connection with every hive, as well as work for the fingers, and in our experience hurry is a useless thing to take to the apiary.