The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-11-05
CELLAR best PLACE
TO QUARTER BEES
OVER THE WINTER
State ~Entomologist Advises
Placing Colonies Inside
November to March

Best results in wintering colonies
Of bees in North Dakota will be Sc
cured by placing them in good cellars
in the fall, leaving them there until
spring. according to Prof. J. A. Munro
entomologist at the North Dakota
Agricultural college. In the vicinity
of Fargo bees are usually moved into
cellars early in November and should
not be disturbed until the latter part
of March or early April when they
are moved to their summer location.
Regarding the precautions to OBJ
serve in moving bees indoors. It Is
well to choose a cloudy, cool day or Z
cool evening. as there will be less
danger Of bees flying from the hive
and causing annoyance to those car
rying them. The severity of the win
ter in this latitude demands prepar-
ing the bees in respect to certain re-
Quirements for w%intering. points out
Mr.. Munro. First. all colonies should
be strong and queen-right. Old Or
failing queens should be displaced rs
soon as they are noted. Usual signs
of the failing queen r weakening Of
the colony in the number of bees and
a small yield of honey. The second
requirement is that each colony have
at least 40 pounds of good quality
honey at the time of placing it into
the cellar.
General recommendations are that
bees should be placed indoors imme-
diately after the last spell Of warm
weather suitable for bee flight in the
fall. Under conditions found in this
section. bees gather a supply Of honey
during the summer in excess Of their
needs for winter. The cause Of short
age. with consequent starvation Of
bees in the winter. Is usually due to
the beekeeper removing too much
honey previous to storing the bees.
Experience has shown that . hive
of bees will consume 50 pounds Of
honey from early fall until nectar is
available the following spring. Hives
not having enough honey should b
attended to before the weather be-
comes colder, rs opening Of hives in
cold weather aus serious harm ia
bees. II the beekeeper suspects that
his bees need attention before hi
places them away for the winter he
| should examine his colonies ON &
warm day before it is time to place
them indoors. to determine their con-
| dition and the amount Of honey or
hand. The hives should be fairly vel
populated with bees at this time an6
the amount of honey in the hive.
should be noted.
If there is not q sufficient Amoun1
Of honey present it is well to ads
enough combs Of honey to bring tn
stores up to the required amount. /
combs are not available It viii b
necessary to feed sugar syrup. Thi
should be made from the best grad
of granulated cane or beet sugar. b!
mixing two parts Of sugar to one o
boiling water. by weight. and addin(
one ounce Of tartaric acid to eacl
20 pounds Of sugar. This Is to chang
or modify the sugars for winter Us
Of the bees.
Upon moving the hives to the Gel
lar. they may be placed In ROW
against the wall with entrances fac
ing the cellar alley. in tiers Of thIe
or four. above each other in = rON
Where the beekeepers has only = fev
colonies. 10 to 50. the hives may b
wintered in the ordinary type q Gel
lar or basement below houses 4
this cas- they should be partitions
| from the main mart Of the h0semeu