BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
The very worst winter food is, without doubt, the honey gathered from the aphids (see Honey-dew); or, at least, most complaints have been made of this honey. As bees seldom touch this, except during dronths or unfavorable seasons, it no doubt has been the cause of much of the mischief. If the early honey is all extracted from the brood-combs, and the bees left with nothing but this bad honey, gathered late in the fall, the matter is much worse; and many cases have been reported of colonies dying where the extractor had been used, while those toutheed had been free from the disease. The moral is, refrain from extracting too closely from the brood-apartment. We would at least let the bees fill their brood-chamber with clover or linden honey, just before the yield ceases, extracting toward the close of the harvest, only from the combs in the upper story, unless we choose to feel them up for winter on sugar or candy. We have had one or two favorable reports of wintering on the ahildian honey, from which we may conclude it is not always deleterious.
## Prevention of dysentery
From what we have said, one will probably infer that we would make the colony larger or the hive smaller, during the winter season. If we say, also, have the walls of the hive of some warm porous material that will absorb moisture and afterward dry out readily, we have the idea so far. Perhaps the chaff cushions and division-boards are the readiest means at our command of accomplishing this. \(\Delta\) dry cellar is excellent.
While bees might get along on almost any kind of food when thus prepared, we would by no means fail to give them good whole-some stores, as far as possible. Honey gathered in the middle of the season is generally wholesome; for by the time winter
**E.**
**ENENEMIES OF BEIS.** King-birds and hee-martins, and a few other insectivorous birds, prey on hees. We once saw a single king-bird capture six or eight hees in as many trips, on the wing. It would alight on the peak of the barn near the apiary, and then make a dive through the air, grab one bee on the wing, return to its perch to dispose of its nonsel, and then catch another.
There have been a number of conflicting reports as to whether king-birds do or do not swallow their victims. Some have asserted that they do, and afterward expelled the hall of hees. At one experiment station a number of king-birds were shot, and the conclusion, after examining their crops, was that they did not eat bees; but from observations that have been made since it appears that the king-bird does not generally swallow worker-bees. It grabs the bee, flies away, and, after it alights on some perch with its victim in its beak, bites away until it absorbs the honey or julices, when it drops the carcass, and flies away for another, which it treats in the same way. Observers have reported seeing these carcasses of bees below the birds' favorite perches.
The loss of a few bees which the birds might kill would amount to nothing; but in large queen-rearing yards, if the birds are allowed to go unmolested there is quite likely to be a loss of young queens; for no doubt the birds select the largest and slowest-flying bees, and these, of course, will be _pareons_ and drones. If such he the case, the owner of a queen-rearing yard would do well to use his shotgun until every thing in the way of bee-killing birds is destroyed.
Mice do harm only when they get into the hives, and this part of the subject will be sufficiently noticed under the head of Encreances. It may be well to remark, that mice sometimes make sad havoc among surplus combs, when stored away with small patches of honey in them. The combs will be completely riddled during the winter time, if they are left where mice can get at them. On this account, the honey-house should be mouse-proof : and for fear that a striy one may by accident get in, it is wellan occurrence that we can hardly regard it as a matter of any very serious importance. It may be well at times to look out for the enemies that prey on bees; but, as a general thing, we think they are quite capable of fighting their own battles if we give them the proper care and proper hives.
It was Mr. I., L. Langstroth, just before he died, who showed how spiders may be of value to the bee-keeper. If, he said, they have access freely to the combs stored in stacked-up hives in the apriary, there never need he any fear that the moth-worn or moth-miller will be able to do any damage, for the spiders will very shortly destroy them.
Wasps and hornets sometimes capture and carry off honey bees; but unless they should take part in the work in great numbers, we would have no solleitude in regard to them.
A large fly, called the bee-hawk, or mosquito-hawk, has been mentioned by our Southern neighbors, but it is said to be easily frightened away by opening a vigorous warfare with ships and sticks.
Thieves are sometimes troublesome at outwards, and once in a long while at the homeyard. The best way to put a stop to their depredations is to put up a sign or two offering fifty or a hundred dollars reward for the arrest and conviction of the guilty parties. The thief is immediately warned that a price is put upon his head, and that he had best, if he knows when he is well off, stop his stealing. It is seldom that the reward money is ever called for, and further annoyance is stopped.
**ENTRANCE-GUARDS.** See Drones.
**ENTRANGERS TO HIVES.** We do not know that it makes any _reiy_ great difference to the bees, or with the amount of honey gathered, where the entrance is: whether at the very lowest part of the hive, or right in the top. We have had them do well with their entrance in almost all positions. On many accounts, an entrance even with, or a little below, the bottom-board of the hive would be most desirable. This gives the bees every facility for removing dirt or dead bees that frequently clog the hive and combs in cold weather; also bits of refuge comb.
capings from the cells, dust, etc.. for this all falls to the bottom of the hive, and is naturally carried toward the entrance by the passage, out and in, of the inmates. Also, if the upper part of the hive is close and warm, the wimm air generated by the cluster, rising by its lightness, compared with the colder air outdoors, has a much less chance for escape than if the entrance were nearer the top of the hive. If the entrance is a little below the bottom-board, cold winds and storms are not so readily admitted.
It has been said that an entrance part way up is not so liable to become clogged with dead bees. This is probably true; but, on the other hand, the live ones will not be able to easily so easily to remove the dead if they have to tag them up the perdiicular sites until they reach the opening; neither can the apriarist himself assist in the process. Where the entrance is on a level with the bottom of the hive, he can reach in with a hooked wire and rake out all the dead bees that may have accumulated during the winter. Indeed, he should, if the accumulation is enough to clog the entrance, clear it out once or twice during the winter, with a wire.
There is still another objection to a high entrance. During cool weather many of the dying bees on returning will become chilled in their efforts to craw up the perpendicular side, and thus fail to get into the hive; so, all things considered, an entrance that is handy for the bees is also best for the bee-keeper.
On account of the tendency of returning bees to chill in cool weather, there should be a large alighting-board if the hive is raised off the ground; or if on the ground, there should be a nice easy slanting grade or door-step to the entrance. All grass and weeds should be kept down within at least a root of the front of the hive; and it would be better if there were a good full yard of clear space. Hees that come in heavily laden are often knocked down by bumping into tall weeds or sprigs of grass. While they ultimately take wing, making another attempt, finally landing in the hive, such obstructions, if \(\,\)hulering to the bees, are wasteful to the hee-keeper.
It is impossible to estimate just how much the loss in honey is; but if the actual figures could be secured the producer would be surprised. When it is such an easy mat ter to cut away the weeds, or keep them away from the entrance with a little sprinkling of salt or with a wide board,it is"penny wise and pound foolish" to wear out the wings of our little servants trying to pass this obstruction, at the same time \(\,\)delaying then when every moment counts. Farmer bee-keepers especially seem to have the idea that bees will work for nothing and board themselves, and in three cases out of five one will find the entrances of their hives, what few they may have, all tangled up with grass and weeds. On mornings when there is a heavy dew such obstruction is very considerable.
Very many use a seythe, lawn-mower, or a common sickle, to cut down the grass. Others keep it down with a small handful of salt scattered around the front of the hive, laid directly on the ground, abutting up close to the bottom-board if it rests on or close to the ground. No grass or weeds can grow, of course, where \(\,\)these boards are laid : and general practice shows it is cheaper and better to use such boards than to be compelled to use salt or cut down the obstructions every few weeks in front of the hive.
The cut in the opposite column contains \(\,\)u suggestion which can be very easily applied to the cheated boards just described. Bend some iron wires, about No. \(\,\)s, as shown with hook at each end. Drive one of the hee-keepers especially seem to have the idea that bees will work for nothing and board themselves, and in three cases out of five one will find the entrances of their hives, what few they may have, all tangled up with grass and weeds. On mornings when there is a heavy dew such obstruction is very considerable.
This depends on the season of the year, the size of the colony, and whether the bees are wintered indoots or out. During the height of the honey-flow the aperture should be as large as the bottom-board or hive will permit \(\,\)-- not less than \(\,\)$ inch deep by the width of the hive. Experience has shown that a counteracted opening does not give the bees sufficient ventilation ; and \(\,\)the result is, the great mass of bees are forced out of the hive, where they will load \(\,\)day after day, doing nothing. When they once get into the loafing habit they will be much inclined to swarm, to say nothing about wasting valuable time during that part of the season when,if ever, they should bring in money in return for all the labor expended on them.
Where one uses hives of the loose-botton type, he can usually cure this clustering out
be practiced to advantage in winter during a very cold spell. As soon as it has warmed up, the bees could push the obstruction away.
The accompanying illustrations will show the modern 10votailed and Danzenbaker alighting-boards having clients mailed on them permanently. When the board is pulled out entirely it gives an entrance 14 inches deep by the width of the hive. When the plain side is inserted, the entrance is reduced to 8 by i inch; and this may be further reduced, if necessity requires it, by putting in a i-inch strip of wood of sufficient length to bring the entrance down to the point required.
## 7. Conclusions
While it is true that a plurality of entrances may be a detriment in a brood-chamber, it does not necessarily hold good during the honey season when the hive is tiered up two or three stories high. It then becomes difficult, and wasteful of bee energy that might be better employed, to ventilate the whole hive from oneentrance, however large it is in the lower story, for the bees have to maintain a current of cold air rushing in, and another going out at the same aperture. If queen-excluders are used the case is made worse. It almost goes without saying, that, during the period in which the honey is evaporated while in the combs, there ought to be more than one entrance to the hive--at least two, and, during very hot weather, more, one to each story, with the cover or roof slightly raised at the back to furnish additional means for the fetid air to escape at the top of the hive.
It is said by those who have tried this method of air control that it is a great preventive of swarming, and this looks reasonable; for the brood-chamber is far le s crowded, since the field workers arrive and depart from the upper entrance to a great extent, saving overcrowding of the brood - chamber, which surely leads to swarming.
On the other hand, it may be said that there is danger of the honey-chambers being rendered too cool by so many entrances; but against this may be stated that, if this is the case, it is also too cool for honey-gathering, and the upper stories should be removed. If the colony is weak, upper entrances are unnecessary; and in that case, also, the honey-chambers should be removed, as such a colony does not gather a surplus of the honey in any event. It is too weak.
Some of our well-known writers on hee culture heartily commend upper entrances--notably so Dr. C. C. Miller, C. P. Dadant, R. F. Holtermann, W. K. Morrison, and, in early times, Adam Grimm, who, with the money he made with his bees, established i bank.
Dr. C. C. Miller, writing in _Gleanings in Bie Culture_ for June 1, 1997, writes: " Prof. Cook says, p. 812, that bees ventilate so effectively at the entrance that it is best to have only one opening to the hive, evidently meaning at all times; and W. K. Morrison, page 686, asks if I subscribe to that doctrine. Emphatically, no. If running for extracted honey I would generally have one more opening than the number of stories in use--the regular entrance and an opening at the top of each story. Each year for years I have had one or more piles thus ventilated, and none has ever swarmed. Many years ago I learned from Adam Grimm to have an opening for ventilation at the top of the brood-chamber at the hack end when running forcomb honey. I gave it up because it interfered with the finishing of the sections near such openings. But I have gone back to it again, believing that such disadvantage is overbalanced by the gain in ventilation. You can't make me believe that it is not easier for the bees to have one hole for the air to go out and another for it to come in than to make the air go both ways in the same hole." The practical bee-keeper will soon discover for himself when and how to use a plurality of entrances, for much depends on the climate. Evidently it does not work so well with comb-honey production as it does extracted; yet even this may be satisfactorily arranged. It looks now as if plural entrances were a long step toward swarm prevention by causing the field workers to leave the brood and confine their energies to storing honey in the upper chambers. See Swagming.
Entrances for indoor wintering.
Authorities differ as to the size of entrance that should be used for indoor wintering. Some argue that, the larger the openings, the better. A few go even so far as to urge that the bottom-boards be removed entirely, one hive piled upon two others, leaving an opening between the two lower hives of about one-third of the size of the entire bottom of the hive. Others advise a regular bottom-board, but an entrance two inches deep by the full width of the hive; while others recommend no larger entrance than the bees have during the summer.
The preponderance of evidence seems to be in favor of the last-mentioned size. Too much ventilation, even in a cellar where the temperature is reasonably under control, has a tendency to induce too large a consumption of stores. Over-feeding causes dysentery; and when that happens in a bee-cellular the colony is doomed unless it can be given a flight on a warm day, us recommended under the head of Wintering in the latter part of this work.
Our practice has been to use the same entrance that we have in the summer for our indoor-wintered hives; and so long as we used that size we had excellent results in wintering. But one winter, for the purpose of experiment, we raised each individual hive off its bottom-board and inserted a rim three inches deep and of the same outside dimensions as the hive. The sides of these rims were open, butcovered with wire cloth. The result was that we lost over 100 colonies out of the 280 odd put into the cellar, and the rest came out in a very weakened condition.
The bee is essentially a warm-blooded animal. Experience has shown that a temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit in a cellar gives the best results. An ordinary colony with ordinary summer entrance in such cellar temperature will be able to warm the interior of its hive without too much expenditure of animal heat. When the bees are too cold they will eat largely of their stores, and in doing so bring on disease.
## 7. Eucalyptus
There are something like two hundred species of eucalypt recognized in Australasia by scientific botanists. Baron Mueller, who is the chief authority on this genus, noted that nearly all the eucalypt are honey-yielders, but some are much better than others. Redgum (_E. rostrata_) seems to be the leader, though others may take the leadership when the Australian bush becomes better known. The most famous of the gum trees of Australasia is the _E. globulus_, the blue gum of Tasmania, and this also is a liberal producer of bee nectar. For its valuable properties as a first-class lumber-producer, and as an anti-fever plant, it has been introduced into many countries--California, Mexico, West Indies, South Europe, Egypt, Chili, and other countries; and as it is a fair producer of honey its further propagation can be encouraged by bee-keepers. _Eucalyptus yanni_ is also a good honey-tree, and excellent for lumber. Indeed, the whole eucalypt family may be regarded as honey-yielders. Any one desirous of gaining more information relative to these extremely useful trees may consult with profit Baron Mueller's "Select Extra-tropical Plants for Industrial Culture." It is a book well worth perusing in any event by bee-keepers. Attempts have been made to introduce the honey of the eucalypt into England, but without success. Eucalyptus honey has a peculiar flavor which the English people do not like, and there the matter ends.
## 8. Extracted Honey.
Iiquid honey, taken from the comb with the honey-extractor, has been before the world since the year 1865, and much has been the discussion, pro and con, in regard to its merits, and its desiralness compared with comb honey for table use.
If all the extracted honey put upon the market were as good as some we have raised and purchased, there would, we are sure, be no trouble at all in deciding that it would drive honey in the comb almost out of the question. Much has been said about adult
Iteration, and there has been some ground for it. Glucose has been used very largely, but it can readily be detected by chemical analysis and by the taste. Pure glucose, that is, such as is used for adulterating, has a strong metallic taste that is almost naughting. One who has one tasted the "stuff" will readily recognize proportions exceeding 25 per cent in honey. See Honey Auditeration.
Since the new national pure-food law has gone into effect there will be very little adulterated honey on the market, especially so as over two-thirds of the States have pure-food laws also. We may safely conclude, therefore, that all extracted honey so labeled will necessarily be pure.
A really nice article of extracted honey will bring 8 or 10 cts, quicker than a poor one will bring 4 or 5; and we have seen some, aye, and have offered it for sale too, that we do not honestly think was worth over 2e., if it was worth anything at all, unless to feed bees. Is all this difference on account of the source from which it was gathered? Not at all; for all the honey we get here, in the great majority of seasons, is from clover and linden. Then where is the great difference? It is, so far as my experience goes, simply because it is taken from the hive before it is ripe. We have never seen any honey we thought was fit to extract until it was all sealed over. Still further, we do not believe it is nearly as nice, even when it is all sealed over, as it will be if left in the hive three or four weeks _after_ it has been all sealed. We will tell you some of our experience to illustrate the point.
In 1870 we extracted, from our apiary of less than 50 colonies, over 3 tons of honey, It was put up in 1-lb, bottles, and more than half was sold for 25 per found when prices were high on extractei honey. During the fore part of the season the honey was allowed to get pretty well capped over; but during basswood bloom, we, bees and all, got somewhat crazy, we fear, and they brought in what was but little better than sweetened water; we extracted and put it into bottles, and hurried it off to fill orders, hoping it would all get "good" as soon as the weather got cool. It candied when the weather become cold, for almost all honey will candy, or at least one portion will candy, leaving a thin water part, which, if it does not sour, acquires in time a disagreeable brackish flavor, like that acquired by liquids standing in an old barrel. At about this stage it shows that peculiar quality of pushing the bungs out of the barrels, and the corks out of the bottles, running over on the shelves and tables to the discomiture and disgust of everybody who likes to be cleanly in his habits. When we tasted some of the honey in one of these bottles, six months afterward, we did not wonder it had stopped selling, and we made up our mind it should no more be offered for sale. We believe it was all poured out of the bottles, and sold to a tobaconist. The contents of the jars were not all alike, for the thin watery honey has quite a tendency to swim on top. We, one season, commeneed to retail from a barrel of what all pronounced fine clover honey. One day a customer returned some, saying it was not like what he bought before. We assured him it was drawn from the same barrel, and went and drew some, to convince him. Behold; it was sweetened water, compared with the first. The thin honey having risen to the top, it was the last to be drawn out.