Seasonal Work for Beekeepers

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 65, Issue 5, 16 November 1942, Page 305

Seasonal Work for Beekeepers

Brood-Rearing

Brood-rearing must be kept going at all costs at this time of the year and any colony which has failed to make good progress requires special attention. For normal development it is essential that all colonies are provided with sufficient protection from cold winds and artificially-created draughts within the hives so that as far as possible a uniformly high temperature may be maintained within the brood nest for the most economic use of the brood-rearing space in the production of worker bees. Suitable shelter, especially at ground level is essential in all apiaries and all hive parts should be close fitting to prevent draughts. Swarm Control Conditions likely to cause swarming in modern hives are lack of suitable ventilation, insufficient room for the expansion of the brood nest and lack of combs for the storage of pollen and honey. Ample room is also required for the young bees that are continually hatching at this time of the year. Where a good strain of bee is established with young queens at the head of - each colony, swarm control is largely a matter of comb and hive manipulation before the start of the main honey flow; but care should be taken not to place more super accommodation on the hives than is actually required ' by the bees from week to week, otherwise it will not be possible for the bees to maintain the necessary temperature for successful brood-rearing. ' Manipulation of Combs Where queen excluders are not used the beekeeper should keep the brood down in the bottom boxes, making certain that the bottom box contains at least eight combs of brood and pollen , before the brood is allowed to remain in the super above. The queen quite naturally moves up into the second box, and even higher, until she is gradually forced down by the storage of honey in all empty spaces above the brood nest. It is a good plan when making room for the queen in the second box to place all combs containing honey in the centre 1 of the third box directly above the brood and fill in the outside spaces with empty combs. This arrangement of the combs containing honey acts as a block to the queen at this time of the year and will usually exclude her from the supers above so long as there is a suitable honey flow. Apiary work should be arranged so that it is not necessary to disturb the

bees and brood when the main honey flow is full on. Swarming When . a colony becomes overcrowded with young bees, preparations are made for swarming and then only drastic measures will prevent the bees from carrying out their intention. A simple plan is to destroy all the queen cells which may have been started.and divide the brood into two parts, leav-

mg the queen and three or four combs of unsealed brood in the bottom box below a queen excluder, filling the empty spaces with good worker combs for the immediate use of the queen. Place directly above the excluder a super of empty combs or foundation and on top of all place the remainder of the brood nest (mostly capped brood). The brood placed on top of the hive should be examined after about six days, and all queen cells started should be destroyed.

—T. S. WINTER,

Senior Apiary

Instructor, Wellington.