The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-02-17
METHOD OF HANDLING
BEES in WINTER
(By G. S. Gregg, Bee Expert for
Portland Seed Company

(By G. S. Gregg, Bee Expert foi
Portland Seed Company
Every winter we are asked by be-
ginners in the bee business to tell them
what is the matter with their bees.
They frequently find good many dead
bees scattered over the surface of the
snow, or on the ground in front of the
hive and immeditely jump to the con-
clusion that something is wrong. A
short time ago a man came hurrying
to the store demanding a half-dozen
good feeders, as the bees were dying
in the hive and the yard was Uttered
with their bodies. He stated that none
of their supplies had been removed last
fall, also that the hives were very
heavy. but if they were not starving
why did they die?
Many new beekeepers are under the
impression that all the bees in the
hive when cold weather comes on
should be alive and we'll in the spring,
but this is not the case. 1t is fact
that the young bees, those which were
h tched so late they had nothing to do
with bringing in the last stores, will
usually winter through, and it is upon
these bees that the work of starting
brood rearing the next spring will
devolve, but there will also start the
winter a great many bees Matched dur
ing the latter part of the season which
will die of old age duri ng the season
when the bees are confined closely to
the hive.
These old bees will crawl from the
cluster. or drop on the bottom of the
hive, and on the first warm day the
vigorous workers of the colony will set
to work to "clean house" with all the
vim and hustle Of the human house
wife. While they are unable to take
broom and mop to remove the accumu-
lated debris. their methods are fully as
Each worker will seize one
of her dead sisters by wing or leg,
drag the burden out through the en-
trance and. if possible, fly several rod
away from the hive before dropping
her load Others seem content to push
the dead bees through the entrance and I
let them drop to the ground where |
they sometimes accumulate in such /
numbers as TO lead the inexperienced |
bee man to believe he is losing his /
The bee keeper who has carried his /
colonies through number Of winters 1
notes with a good deal Of satisfaction /
the brisk activity Of the bees in get /
ting rid of the useless litter. but any
hive. which, after a spell of warm .
weather. does not show indications Of 4
is at once an object of .
suspicion and the owner takes the first
opportunity TO find out why the bees
are not taking advantage Of their op.
Sometimes a rap on the
side of the hive will be rewarded bv
he appearance Of a few bees at the
entrance, or il may bring only a sleepy
luzz In protest against the disturbance.
lifting the hive for the purpose Of
forming an estimate Of food conditions
nay convey the information that grim
starvation is lurking in the hive. In
which case the bees have little ambi-
ion to engage in labor which they
now only too well will be useless ana
or which days. possibly weeks, Of
hort rations shave reduced strength !
nd vitality to a point where manual
abOr is impossible. In case a shortage I
{ stores is indicated, If the owner is ,
0 save the colony he must take ad- 7
antsge Of the FIRST warm dsy 70 ou@n :
be hive and give the bees one OF more q