The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-20
TRANSFERRING BEES.

The best time or season for trans
ferring bees is now at hand. I have
never found better time in all the
summer season to transfer bees than
during fruit blooming time. Since 1
have been in the bee business a year
has not gone by but that l have an
SWered private letters asking me when
and how to transfer bees, so / write
on this subject. To transfer bees from
the box or hive is not a very easy or
pleasant job, and it is a big undertake
ing for beginner. The best time of
day is a few hours before sunset on
everything ready, and you will need an
axe. chisei, knife. hammer, saw,
smoker, a ball of wrapping Irvine, and
board three feet long and eighteen
inches wide; and the hive must be
ready to receive the bees, and you will
have to have a box to drive the bees
into, and if you get your hands sticky
with honey you will need a pail of
water. Now proceed as follows: Go
to the hive you wish to transfer; if it
has a loose bottom board raise the
hive a little SO you can blow in smoke.
Puff in enough to set the bees roaring.
Now invert the hive bottom end up
and set your bob on it. If your hive
has bottom on remove it first, then
set your box over the end so that the
bees can run in. Now pry or cut a
hole in the lower end so you can
smoke them; with your hammer strike
the hive rapidly for ten or fifteen
minutes. If you have done a good job
your bees will all be up in your box.
Then set the box off to one side and
let them remain there until you have
finished. If you do not wish to have
any of the comb or brood you can now
hive the bees as you would a swarm,
but it is very wasteful to do So as the
comb and brood this time of year are
worth the swarming bees. After you
have driven all the bees out get your
axe and chisel and pry or split the
hive open in such a way as to give
you the face side of the comb to work
on then with your knife cut off the
braces where they are fastened to the
hive. Where loose lay them on the
wide board ready for them; you will
find some cross sticks. saw them off
so you can get out your comb. You
will also find bees. With your smoker
smoke them out of your way until you
have all the combs cut out. Let the
bees remain in the old hive They
will get together and cluster by the
time you have your combs transferred
in the frames. Now you are ready to
III your cOnpS IN the frames. Lay a
single comb on the board and lay your
frame on the comb. Have it hang in
the frame the same end down as it
was in the old hive and with your
knife cut it to fit in the frame tightly
and with your wrapping Irvine wrap it
so it can not drop out or from the
frame. When you have it so fixed
hang it in the new hive. Fill all the
frames you have comb for and hang
them in the hive. When you have
this done you are ready to hive the
bees in the hive. Proceed as you
would to hive a swarm; although they
will not enter as readily, they will go
in by morning and next day they will
go to work as if nothing had happened
The odds and ends of the comb can be
rendered into bees wax, or if there is
some honey in it you can let the bees
take it up, or if you have not trans
ferred honey with the comb you had
better feed it to the transferred colony
OF bees. 1t is best to contract the en-
trance to the colony for a few days to
prevent bees from robbing it, In about
week or ten days you can remove the
Irvine from the comb, if the bees have
not already done SOL w. Bitten
bender in Live Stock and Western
Farm Journal