Middletown transcript., 1915-11-13

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
The beekeeper's winter loss may be
reduced by proper precautions to less
than per cent, according to recent
investigations conducted by the Unit
ed States Department Of Agriculture.
At the present time the loss ranges
from one-tenth to one-half, or even
more, of the colonies. Even beekeep-
ers in the South, where the climate is
mild, are not exempt from this tax.
In a new publication of the depart
ment of agriculture, Farmers Bulletin
695, the causes for winter loss are
stated as two; ~ inadequate stores,
and (2) excessive heat production. Ex-
cessive heat production is caused al
most invariably by inadequate insula-
tion of the hive, which compels the
bees to generate heat for their own
protection and exhaust themselves in
the process. At times SO much heat
is created that brood-rearing is begun
prematurely and may result in the
death of the entire colony.
To prevent excessive heat genera
ton the beekeeper should aim to main
tain the temperature of the air around
his bees at about 81 degrees F. At
this temperature the bees remain IN
active on the combs. When the air
Immediately surrounding the bees is
colder than this, the bees form clus-
ter and those in the center begin to
generate heat by muscular activity,
while those on the outside crowd
close together to prevent the escape
Of the heat which is being produced.
Under such circumstances the tenn
perature in the inside Of the cluster
rises rapidly, often going to 80 degrees
F. in normal colonies and higher in
abnormal ones. The lower the tenn
perature outside Of the cluster falls,
the more work the bees are compelled
to do, and when they are no longer
capable of the necessary activity they
| die.
Protection Is Necessary.
These facts emphasize the necessity
of protecting the hives by thorough
packing. No beekeeper, say the gov
ernment specialists, ever gave his bees
too much protection in the winter.
Very few give them enough. In any
locality where the outer temperature
often falls to 40 degrees F.-and this
includes practically all territory in the
United States in which bees are kept
1T is most desirable to conserve the
vitality of the bees by adequate In
sulation of the hive. What constitutes
adequate insulation obviously varies
with the climate. In the relatively
mild winters of Washington, d. c..
satisfactory results have been OBJ
tanned by placing four single-walled
hives in a large packing case with
inches Of packing below, 5 inches on
the ends, inches on the sides, and 8
to IL inches on top. Where the eli
mate is more severe this protection
should, of course, be much increased
There is no danger Of giving too much
protection because as soon as the tenn
perature within the hive but outside
the cluster reaches so degrees F. the
bees cease to generate heat. Unless
|
narily high, therefore, the air in 9
properly protected hive will never &c
above 81 degrees.
Provided enough insulation is giveT
on all sides, the exact method of pack
ing is not especially important. The
placing Of several hives in contact
however, has the advantage that the
colonies insulate one another. What
ever type of outer case is used, II
should be tight in order to prevent
rain and snow from wetting the insu
lating material.
This material may be any of those
ordinarily used for the purpose sucE
as sawdust, chaff, broken cork, SHAY
ings, paper, dry leaves, etc. Sawdust
however, should not be packed tigh
but simply poured in place. On thu
other hand, dry leaves should b.
packed down.
The packing not only should bt
adequate but should be put in plac'
early, before low temperatures havt
compelled the bees to begin the gen
Grafton of heat, when they are con
siderably disturbed by the process o
packing and the temperature of tn
inside of the cluster is certain to b.
raised quickly. Frequently in dis
turbed colonies 1t rises 30 high tina
the queen begins to lay eggs and whel