Mexico Missouri message., 1900-05-17
Transferring Bees.

lfulSltI lllt1ll out WI ''N h''N' VI
gums into modern, movable frame
hives, if they knew how to do this.
1t is not such a great task or so
mysterious as some suppose. we
were doing some transferring last
season when friend came and
watched us awhile and then went
home and transferred his own bees.
He knew but little about bees but
went ut it TO learn, and if he con
tinups with them he will make a
success.
TO do transferring, first get
everything ready. Have the place
for the hive to stand all lcveled up,
so the hive will set level or stand
lust Il little towards the entrance.
Have a box or bench to lay the
combs on when removed from the
old hive, so as to be able to tit
them into the frames. After all Is
ready 90 to the hive to be trans
fer,ed and with Il lighted smoker
blow smoke in at the entrance
and then beat on the hive. This
will stir the bees up. BY smoking
the bees come to the entrance, then
. will 90 back into the hive and com
mence filling themselves with hon
ey. and the operator can very soon
turn the hive upside down and by.
continuing to use smoke as needed
| the bees can be kept in check, but
= one should not use too much smoke.
After driving the bees to one side
of the hive take cold chisel and
emf the nails on one side of the
hive so us to get it off i'll order to
, get at the combs. But do not for
! get to use smoke when needed to
, keep the bees in check as when one
. commences to cut the nails and be-
e gins to take the old hive apart the
= bees will begin to fly out some,
: but bv the use of the smoker they
can be subdued alright.
When the combs are so exposed
! that they can be removed, cut one
- ont and brush the bees off of 1t
y with any kind of brush and lay
@ the comb down on the box and
n take frame from the new hive
! and Law it down on the comb so as
: to find where it may need trim
ming. and so cut it as that it will
fit rather tight in the new frame
then tie with common wrapping
Irvine in several places by running
the Irvine clear around the frame
containing the comb. After tins
is done the frame containing the
transferred comb may be raised III
and placed in the new hive. Con
W. time this until all the combs art
"s transferred.
~ 1t is not necessary to transfer
r, drone comb, nor is it necessary
- that all the frames should be full
OF of comb. but only partly filled, Il
~ there is not enough old comb tC
fill the frames. 1t makes no par
OF ticular difference whether the
,n combs hang in the new hive a.
o. they did in the old, but we usually
place them that way if it is con
ic veuient, if not we place them t.
c. suit us. After all the combs arr
IA transferred and the new hive IL
=. place take the wreck of the ole
of hive that the bees are still clinginl
~ to and turn it so as to shake thu
If bees down before the entrance t.
in the new hive. Jar all the bees of
tn of the old hive and then run then
nf in by using the smoker and jus
So use as little smoke as possible
g. as if too much sm0k'
Lr is used many of the bee
will take to flight, but will sool
nj settle back again if the smoke doe
he not keep them away.
I'd The bees will very soon fix tn
MS combs alright and in short tim
nd if one were to look into the hive i
in would look as if the bees had bull
ri the combs in the frames i'll tn
rs first place.
IL During fruit bloom is the yer,
n9 hest time To do transferring as a
nv that time there are fewer bees o
is young brood in the way. 1t is no
'r best for ii new hand to undertake