The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-02-06
UhIlel .Gntrppuria ageres,
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 6. 1864.
THE WANTS OF THE BEE.


We have knowledge Of no animal in whose
nature are embodied the elements of self
determination to so great an extent as the
bee. Since the instinct for gathering and
storing honey predominates over all else
with the workers, they very soon fill any
ordinary cavity in which they are placed.
Indeed, so strong is their determination to
work, when honey is abundant, that if they
enter tie hive laden with the product of ma
lures richest store of sweets and there find
all the cells filed, either with honey previ-
ously gathered or with young brood, they
vacate cell after cell containing newly laid
eggs, larvae, or sealed bees, till the entire
hive is filed with honey; in consequence Of
which breeding is wholly suspended, and
since the life of the worker is of short du-
ration during the season that honey is most
abundant, the colony suddenly becomes re-
dueed in numbers, and not unfrequently
are they entirely lost, leaving a hive almost,
and sometimes wholly, filled with honey and
bee-bread. Hence, were il not for the swarm
ing instinct impaired TO them at certain pc
RODS, they would, in few years, become
extinct.
The fact that workers are short-lived hav-
ing been but recently discovered, may re-
quire some demonstration to satisfy the mind
of many who are just beginning to give
practical bee culture the Importance that it
demands. This matter is considered at
some length in the American Bee Journal,
1861, Pc, also the same, p. lab, where we
find the following: "We may estimate that
during the height of the honey season, they
do not, on the average, live longer than FIVE
or six weeks
Also, see Taylor's Manual, London, 1860,
D. 10. He says on the authority of DR..
Bevan, and his own experience, that "there
is no doubt that every bee existing after
Christmas was bred during the latter part
of the summer or autumn" And on page
$50, "Tbey are short-lived, and periodical
ly renewed; a large proportion of the bees
at the close Of the season are those produc-
ed in the latter months"
Many other references are at hand, but
the fact must suffice for the present. An
Italian queen was given TO vigorous stock
of native bees on the 18th of July, and in
sixty days after / could not find any native
bees in the hive, but it contained numer-
Gus colony of Italian bees. This, with ma
ny other facts, coming to my knowledge,
satisfies me that the life of the worker, du-
ring the height of the working season, is
less than fifty days. Hence, we may con-
clude that the excess of honey stored early
in the breeding chamber of the hive is quite
fatal to success in bee culture.
- Alarge majority of bee keepers, not be-
ing familiar with the habits and instincts of
the bee, depend wholly upon luck for sue
cess with their bees. And many suppose
if they can get their bees into some new
tangled notion for hive, that has been pat
ented by some one who has studied much
more on bee hives than on the habits and
nature of the bee, then their luck is favora-
bly, turned, and their fortune secured. But
let it be fully understood that no hive in ex-
istence can make a man bee keeper.
Hence we must conclude that bees re-
quire the intelligent care of the apiarist be-
slowed upon them at the right time.
Moths may infest weak colony. They
must be removed from the combs where
they do their mischief.
A stock may be reduced in numbers so
as not to be able to generate heat enough to
keep up hatching temperature in the hive.
They must be strengthened by supplying
bees or maturing brood from strong ones.
They may lose their queen and can be
saved only by giving them another, SO sup
plying them with comb containing newly
laid eggs, or young Larvae from hive that
has prolific queen.
S--