Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-01-24
CULTIVATION OF BEES.

II
bees: or transferring them from the old box
hive to a new tenement; particularly at
what season of the year should the opera
ton be performed and under what circum-
stances? Respectfully, yours,
| iii 20. S. MURRAY.
@-""a SALISBURY, Jan. Is, 1893.
Q. S. Murray, Sir:-The importance of
your inquiry demands reply, and l cheer
fully hasten to communicate the desired
information. t.. +. :a ..
would not be understood to approve of
transferring bees by compulsory means,
under any circumstances, except when in
the old box hive; and not then, until the
hive produces small, dwarfsh bees; which
is caused by the breeding cells being filled
up with the cocoons, which are left by the
young bees, when they change from the
chrysalis TO the fly. The cocoons are al
ways cleaned out by the bees Immediately
after the escape of the young bees but are
never removed, and other young bees are
raised in the same cells. Thus you will
see, that in few years the breeding cells
are so contracted, that the young bees come
out but mere dwarfs. Notwithstanding a
swarm can be transferred 10 another tene-
ment, in twenty or thirty minutes, at any
season of the year, or at any time Of day, or
night, without danger from stings, or dis
turbing the bees. yet the operation is al
ways attended with some risk afterwards.
If bees are changed to a new hive in the
spring, the young brood which are left in the
combs, (of course a swarm,) which would
have come from them, will be lost If the
operation of transferring is performed in
August, or September, the bees will not be
likely to make a sufficient quantity Of comb
to cluster in during winter; and unless they
have comb, so as to enable them to clus-
ter 10 their own peculiar way, the best
care, and feeding, will not prolong their
lives through our long tedious winters. II
the bees are transferred subsequently &c
1 first swarming, before queen is heard, then
you will get the bees without a queen and
bees without queen will inevitably perish
Hence, if bees are compelled TO change theil
y residence, transferring should be done as
, soon as queen is heard after Rrst swarm
: ing, or Immediately after the second swarm
D has left the hive. Then colonize the ole
stock AMI second swarm together. 1 pre-
fer this course of managing them, because
this time, in the season, is more Favorable
, to them, than later, to make comb, and la!
= up sufficient quantity of honey to sustain
2 them through the following winter. If tn
: operation is performed at any time within
seventeen days subsequent to any swarm
= ing, there is danger Of leaving the queen il
e her cell and in ner minority, and unless tn
l. bees are colonized with swarm which ha
g left the hive previously, the bees may be oh
e tanned without queen, unless one is hear
" at the time Of transferring; for all tn
r, queens that are Matched leave with tina
&c part of the body, which go out to form
r new colony. AS the old queen always az
d companies the first swarm, the hive is le
.; entirely destitute, and as all the queen
Al that are hatched, leave the hives at eac
successive swarming, the danger in chang
p ing them from one hive to another is obviou
. Rare instances have been known to o.
Id cur, where the hive lost their queen befol
Id first swarming, in which case, the hive a
3D. sumo the condition Of one that has swarm
~ ed. This would be the most favorab
o., case Of any for transferring, because,
nd would be likely TO be earlier in the. Sc
u son, and when honey can be obtained ia Il
Nv greatest abundance, as the best part Of Il
Is honey season usually lasts, in Vernon
ne only about twenty days. These rare cas-
~; ~: may always be known by the observer, if
pays proper attention 10 his bees. AT
| the departure of a swarm, or the loss of
or queen by death, or accident, the renlaini
an bees always divide themselves into squa
he rons, or groups, and make several queens,
=" they have the means, (and they usual
ar have the larva in the combs, and the be
to have the power to change their nature
rts queens) and the one which matches a
are makes her escape from her cell first, maE
ION bitter lamentation the first moment S
en' learns that she has a competitor in the hi
h;o and continues her cries by short interVa
r;Ot until she leaves the hive with a swarm,
/ her queen sisters are all destroyed by
len deadly weapon. In the Vermont hive
alb bees transfer themselves when necessa
ana without any compulsion of their owner.