The Delta independent., 1916-02-25
Spring Management of Bees

spring Management OF Bees
U. S. Department of Agriculture,
Washington, D. c., February 23.-The
duty of the beekeeper in the spring is
to get plenty of bees in time for the
honey-flow. If this is not done, his
work is a failure. The population of
the colony is reduced during the win.
ter, especially when wintering condi-
tions are not the best, and this must
be corrected if the colony is to get the
full honey crop. 1t is poor bee-keeping
to have weak colonies at the beginning
OF the honey-flow from which the sur
plus crop is obtained. The following
advice is given by E. F. Phillips, in
charge of bee culture investigations,
bureau of entomology, U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture.
After brood-rearing gets under way
bees need three things-room for
heavy brood-rearing, an abundance of
stores, and protection. A common er-
ror is to cramp the colony by failing
to provide empty cells for the recep-
tion of eggs. Each colony should ulti-
mately have the equivalent of at least
eight Langstroth frames entirely full
frame hive is sarcely large enough at
this season. Some bee-keepers prac-
tice giving a second-hive body during
this period of heavy breeding. This
| &c for to-
that have abundant stores.
If in early spring the weather is suit
] able and if nectar is available, the
bees will add considerably 70 their
idly that it is seldom that any gain
/ in the stores occurs even during fruit
bloom. However. since the weather is
uncertain at this season, the bee-keep-
er should not depend too much on in
coming nectar to supply the needs of
4 his bees. II they are short of stores.
feed warm, thick syrup made
of granulated sugar and feed lavishly.
This will be stored by the bees in the
brood-combs and used as needed. The
syrup may be half water and half sug-
ar and thicker If preferred. There is
no better investment in bee-keeping
than to give abundant supplies in the
spring.
Bees generate considerable heat in
rearing brood rapidly for the tempera.
ture OF the brood must be maintained
nearly at human blood heat. The bet
ter they are protected from winds and
the more insulation they have, the
easier it is for them to keep the prop
er temperature and the faster they
build up.
On some warm day the hives should
be opened and given a spring house.
cleaning At this time one wing of
the queen should be clipped so that
when swarming time comes she cannot
fly to the woods with the swarm. If
any queenless colonies are discovered
(having no brood) they should be unit.
ed with colonies having queens, this
can be done simply by setting the
queenless colony on top.
The stimulation to heavy brood-rear
ing should occupy six to eight weeks
previous to the surplus honey-flow and
every beekeeper should know when
that time comes to his locality. II he
is a beginner, any bee-keeper who is
older in the work can give that infor.
nation. II colony has good queen,
and plenty OF empty cells for egg-lay.
ing. is well supplied with stores and is
protected from cold and wind. one
may expect colony which is capable
of storing the maximum crop.
Having gone to all this trouble to
get plenty OF bees in the hive, the bee
keeper will readily see that he should
do everything in his power to prevent
swarming. Swarming just before or
during the honey-flow is the greatest
drawback to a good crop. Experien-
ced bee-keepers have worked out
methods by which this can largely be
prevented and every bee-keeper should
study these methods.
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