Increasing the Number of Hives in an Apiary

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 3, 15 September 1950, Page 269

Increasing the Number of Hives in an Apiary

Seasonal Notes for the Domestic Beekeeper

THERE are many methods used for increasing the number of hives; some require a high degree of skill, but others can be carried out successfully by the domestic beekeeper provided recognised procedure is followed. In this article R. Goddard, Apiary Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Tauranga, outlines methods most suitable for the domestic beekeeper.

IT is a comparatively simple operation to increase the number of hives in an apiary if the right time and favourable conditions are chosen. Unfortunately inexperienced beekeepers often attempt to increase the number of colonies too rapidly, with disastrous results. Domestic beekeepers are advised, therefore, to increase gradually to avoid costly mistakes. Similarly, increasing in autumn should not be attempted other than by an experienced beekeeper, as weak colonies are not in good condition to survive the winter. They are also prone to attacks by robber bees, the possibility of starvation, and the likelihood of a sudden cold snap chilling brood in the hive. Therefore, domestic beekeepers desiring to increase their number of hives are advised to carry out this work in spring or just before the main honey flow. At this time, hives are usually fairly strong and there is some source of nectar available to the bees. If possible, it is a good plan to increase in the swarming season, as two objectives are achieved with the one operation; that is, swarm control and increase in the number of colonies can be combined successfully. Hives should have at least two full boxes of bees and brood before they are used for establishing further colonies. This point cannot be stressed too strongly, as the domestic beekeeper frequently divides weak hives, with the result that both hives die or are robbed out, leaving the beekeeper without a

colony. Strong hives selected for making increase should be examined thoroughly for foul-brood disease. Officers of the Department of Agriculture are constantly finding cases where this serious bee disease has been spread by careless beekeepers splitting diseased hives or transferring brood from them to other colonies. Dividing Hives for Increase When a strong hive has been selected for increase it can be divided equally by taking away half the brood, stores, and , bees and using them to form a new colony. With this method it is not necessary to find the queen, as the queenless colony will soon start to build queen cells. Unfortunately queens reared under this system usually turn out .to be of an inferior quality. However, if the beekeeper is capable of finding the queen, the following method of division is recommended. The queen, with a frame of bees and brood, should be removed from the strong colony and placed in a nucleus box for safe keeping. When the bees in the parent hive realise they are queenless they immediately begin building queen cells. On the ninth or tenth day the hive can be divided equally and if it is desired to replace the queen in the original colony, this can be carried out successfully, providing all queen cells are destroyed. The other portion should be left with two or three of the largest queen cells and the entrance should be closed temporarily with grass. Nucleus Hives Nucleus colonies are invaluable in all apiaries and domestic beekeepers are advised to have at least one or two which can be used to unite queenless hives or to help build up a backward colony. Once it has been decided to increase, consideration should be given to the type of equipment which will be required. To hive nuclei it is not necessary to spend further sums of money on additional equipment. An ordinary super fitted lengthwise with a division board through the centre will house two nuclei satisfactorily. The bottom of the super can be boarded up completely and two holes bored in the super will serve as an exit for the bees. However, with this method the super is generally ruined for other purposes. An alternative method is to make a floor board similar to the standard bottom board except that it is constructed with light timber and with Jin. strips on the outside. Holes cut in these strips will serve as an entrance. For the domestic beekeeper who has a limited amount of space in which to place his hives,

this type of board can be used effectively on top of an established colony. A hole cut in the centre of the board and covered with gauze on either side will not only prevent the bees from attacking each other, but will allow the warm air to rise into the nuclei. Nucleus hives can be made by taking two oi' three frames of brood and bees and one frame of honey and pollen from a selected hive. However, if it is not desired to weaken one hive, frames of brood and bees may be taken from several different hives, but care should be taken to ensure that the queen is not removed. Beekeepers with black or crossbred bees are advised to purchase good Italian queens from some reputable queen breeder and, provided equipment is ready, it is a simple matter to prepare the nucleus and to introduce the new laying queen. Failing this each nucleus should be given a ripe queen cell. Each newly prepared nucleus colony should have the entrance blocked with grass to prevent a complete evacuation of all field bees in the first 2 days. Nuclei established in this way provide a reserve of young queens, brood, and bees which may be used to advantage where honey-producing hives need a new queen or a boost in brood and bees at critical periods during the breeding season.