Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-08-10
LOST SWARMs.
why Bees Abscond and How to Treat
Them In Hot Weather.


Them In Hot Weather.
Each year there is loss to beekeepers
from swarms leaving during the
swarming season 1t occurs for sew
eral reasons which an Illinois beekeep-
er mentions in The Farm. Field and
Fireside, together with the remedy:
The bees are sometimes kept at quite
a distance from the house, and the bees
swarm unobseIved by the family and
cluster on some tree or bush and after
awhile leave to find home for them
selves. Often swarms are hived in old,
filthy, musty hives, or in hives that are
allowed to stand in the hot sun before
and after hiying the swarms. Either of
these conditions need not exist. In the
first place. the bees should be kept near
the house. so that they may be readily
seen from the kitchen.
With small apiary the extra hum
ming caused in the air by the swarming
bees will be readily noticed if due at
tention is given. The attendant should
see where the bees cluster and as soon
as the swarm is well settled it should
be hiyed, and as soon as the bees are
well in the hive it should be at once
carried and placed where it is to re-
main. II the bees are slow to leave
their clustering place. a little water
sprinkled where they were clustered
will be help. Smoke form the bee
smoker thrown on the bees viii tend
to cause them to leave the bush or limb
and enter their hive.
In case the bees are slow to enter the
hive, smoke should be blown OH them,
when they will usually make line for
the new home and soon enter. See to
1t that the swarm enters the hive
promptly, for if we'll In there is much
less liability of their leaving than when
a large part are left outside.
To avoid the second named cause,
never hive swarms in dirty or musty
hives. Before the swarming season ar
rives clean thoroughly every old hive,
so that all may be ready to put swarms
into. If any that are musty cannot be
made sweet and neat, such should not
be used to put swarms in. You had
better buy new hives that are neat and
enticing to the bees. know this to be
true from my earlier experience with
hives unfit for use.
/ wish to say right here that the
hives should never stand on the
ground. Have good racks on which to
place all hives at all times, up high
enough from the ground so the air may
pass under freely, and no musty hives
need be had.
The third cause named need not
exist Keep all hives intended for
swarms In a shadypart of the bee yard.
so they may be reasonably cool. and
when moved to where the clustered
swarm is place the hive in the shade
or, If no natural shade be sufficient
place shade board over the hive if the
day be hot one and thus keep off the
burning rays of the sun.
With all strong swarms leave the
hive entrance full width. AS soon as
the swarm is in the hive place it where
1t Is to remain, leaving it well shaded.
All strong swarms or colonies should
be shaded In the hot season. Bees
when they swarm, with very few ex-
eeptions, cluster near by their hives
and viii remain so from one-half hour
to several hours The hotter the
weather the sooner the swarm is apt to
leave, especially when clustered in the
hot sun or uDshaded