THE APIARY
THE HONEY FLOW. Until the heat wave comes the weather will not help the bee-keeper. Showery, dull and frequently windy days, do not help the bees. Be ready with extra supers. Put the first super above the brood chamber with a queen excluder between. If any drawn-out comb is available, put it in the super. Not only will this encourage the bees to go into the super, but it will save them making wax, and will liberate workers for honey gathering. The size of frame in the super is a matter of choice.
. Do not use brood frames in the supers; the cells following brood rearing may contain excreta and are smaller than those used for storage of honey. If used they may mean dirty honey, and will mean more work for the bees in the capping.
Put the second super between the first and the brood chamber and the third between the second and the brood chamber. It is better, to be too early than too late. When a super is two-thirds full, or when white cappings show, add another. This will assist in the ripening of the money, and, as the bees have plenty of room for storage, will discourage swarming.
If the management of the hive has been successful during the early months, there should be numbers of young bees ready to go out to collect the honey. During the honey flow the queen should be confined to ten frames. This will discourage brood rearing; as young bees are not required during the honey flow. This confinement may tend tc cause overcrowding; which is the prime cause of swarming. An actual reason for a colony swarming can rarely be given—there seems a natural urge aggravated by certain conditions. Giving the bees room (which fortunately coincides with the need for room for honey storages) and giving them a “ sense of weakness ” are the two chief points of control. This latter is brought about by removing some of the brood and replacing the drames with foundation. The brood may be used to start a new colony—wihich can be united toward winter —or may be put among the cup-
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Bibliographic details
Waipa Post, Volume 52, Issue 3705, 10 January 1936, Page 11
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361THE APIARY Waipa Post, Volume 52, Issue 3705, 10 January 1936, Page 11
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