APIARY NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1933, Page 10 (Supplement)

APIARY NOTES

THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. (By D. S. Robinson, Apiary Instructor, Department of Agriculture, P. North.) The extraction of' honey is the chief work in the apiary for this month, and with the continuation of dry weather bee-keepers are advised to add supers to the hives only where necessary, for although the weather is fine and warm, unfortunately, in most districts, the pastures are so dried up that little or no nectar is now coming in. If sections are being produced, these should be removed as soon as they are filled. Always remember they require delicate handling as a damaged section is unfit for sale. Sections should be wrapped or packed as advised in the January notes.

Beekeepers working for extracted honey are well advised to make at least two extractings. As soon as a reasonable number of frames are 75 per cent, capped, remove these, extract the honey and replace the frames. The replacing is best done at sundown when there are not many bees flying, as this will excite the bees less, and be less liable to set up robbing. Robbing is much easier to prevent than to stop once it has started. As soon as the honey flow is over the bees may be noticed attempting to secure any honey or other sweet substances that are available. At such times every care must be taken to avoid leaving the hives open any longer than is absolutely necessary, and as little manipulation as possible exercised. Where additional entrances exist, such as may be made by raising the hives on blocks to give more ventilation, these should be closed down to the ordinary entrance width as soon as the honey flow ceases. Likewise any super entrances should be closed. By taking the above precautions in sufficient time the danger of robbing will be greatly reduced.

Robbing is detected by the amount of activity of the hive being robbed; bees rushing in and out, some fighting on the alighting board. There is an unusual high note of humming in the apiary, and the fronts of almost every hive will be full of bees guarding their own stores against the robbers. This month’s honey recipe, “Imperial Honey Cake,” is as follows:— Ingredients: One cup butter, 2 cups honey, 2 eggs, 1 cup sour milk, 4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons soda, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt. Method: Cream butter and honey well; add beaten eggs, sour milk, flour sifted with soda, spices and salt. Mix well and bake in layei’ tins.