The requirements of the apiary are but few during the present month,
provided that feeding has been well attended to in the last. Should it,
however, have been neglected, no time must be lost in setting about it
before cold weather sets in, which may now reasonably be expected.
Feeding.--By this time hornets and wasps will have finished their work
of destruction and pillage; each hive, therefore, must now be carefully
examined and weighed, and should any be found having less than 18 or 20
lbs. of honey, supply them immediately with a sufficient quantity to
bring them up to that weight.
Floor-board.--Clean the floor-board of each hive by scraping It with
a knife, and brushing it afterwards with a dry brush, and see that
each hive stands firmly on its pedestal, and is well defended against
wet; and for effecting this (especially during winter), I have never
yet found anything equal to the milk-pan, heavy and unsightly as it
unquestionably is. I have seen covers of zinc used, but they are too
light and frequently blown off by the wind; and one night's heavy rain
at this time of year will very nearly, if not quite, destroy one of the
best stocks. A gentleman of my acquaintance has had covers of cork made
at a cost of 30_s._ each, and very elegant things they are; but, after
about fourteen months' trial, they are abandoned because they will not
effectually keep out wet.
Entrances.--The entrance to the hives must now be narrowed so that only
two or three Bees can come out at the same time for at this season
mice are very likely to lodge themselves in the hives, and they are
very hurtful and destructive to the Bees; for, having once fairly
lodged themselves in a hive, its entire destruction will be effected
by them in a few days. Mr. Huish relates an anecdote of having found
a dead mouse in one of his hives. He says, "In the month of December,
on inspecting my apiary, I perceived a hive to be in an unusual bustle
and the Bees in great agitation. I was convinced that some accident
had occurred in the interior of the hive, and I resolved to examine
it. To my great surprise I found a dead mouse on the stand, and it was
almost covered with propolis (Bee-bread). I first resolved to remove
this nauseous object; but, on more mature reflection, I was not willing
to forego the opportunity of Experiencing, by actual observation, one
of the most profound acts of foresight and wisdom which can possibly
be found in the works of the animal creation. What power is that
which taught the Bee the necessity of covering the dead mouse with a
plaster? It might have been thought sufficient to kill it, that their
property might be saved, and then leave it to waste away in the common
process of putrefaction. But were this process to be allowed to take
place, the health and safety of the whole hive would be endangered. To
prevent, therefore, this occurrence, the body of the mouse is, as it
were, embalmed in a case of propolis, and the object rots away without
emitting any offensive odour." I have myself occasionally found a snail
fastened to the floor-board in a similar manner. But a greater enemy to
Bees during the winter months than even the mouse will be found in that
little marauder the blue titmouse (_Parus major_ of Linnæus), which may
be said to stand foremost as their enemy. Mr. Purchase says, "She will
eat ten or twelve Bees at a time, and by-and-by, be ready for more.
When she comes to the hive and finds none, she knocks with her bill at
the door, and as soon as the Bees come out to inquire the cause, she
catcheth, first one and then another until her belly be full." This I
have observed in an apiary of about twenty hives, in a village nigh to
me, for the last two winters; the entrances of the hives by the end
of the winter having the appearance of being gnawn by rats, which has
all been done by these birds. Shoot and trap them in the winter, and
destroy their nests in breeding time.
Removing Supers.--All super as well as nadir hives should now be
removed, reducing the room occupied by each stock as much as possible.
Ventilation.--In hives of wood I have always found it necessary during
the winter months to withdraw one of the slides at the top of the hive,
and place over the opening a feeder or small glass for the purpose of
carrying off the condensed vapour, which would otherwise run down the
sides of the hive, and cause dampness and mouldiness to the combs,
and sometimes the entire destruction of the stock. Mr. Taylor gives a
drawing of a condenser for this purpose in his "Bee-Keeper's Manual,"
page 142, fourth edition, which I have found to be very useful where a
feeding-pan could not be placed.
Removing Bees.--Should any of our readers, from what has already
been said, feel disposed to try a northern aspect for their Bees, I
would recommend their not being removed at this time, except they are
brought from a distance, and when it is immaterial at what time they
are removed; but if it be only from one part of the same garden to
another, it will, be it when it may, be attended with considerable
loss; therefore it had better be done when the cells are filled with
brood--perhaps towards the end of March.
Advantages of a Northern Aspect.--I still continue to receive very
favourable reports from those persons who have tried a northern
aspect for their hives. The results in every case already represented
to me have been satisfactory; but I am persuaded that the greatest
care must be taken to keep the whole exterior of the hives from wet,
where they are not placed in a Bee-house; and however averse I may
hitherto have expressed myself to the use of Bee-houses, I am now
inclined to think that where a northern aspect is decided upon they
may be necessary. In Devonshire it may not be required; but wherever
hives are placed in this aspect without the protection of a house, I
would particularly recommend that, be the coverings whatever they may,
they be sufficiently large to prevent the drip from hilling upon the
floor-boards of the hives; for this would engender dampness, and the
loss of the stock would, in all probability, be the consequence.
Bee-Houses.--It must be remembered that, wherever they are adopted,
they require the greatest care as to neatness and cleanliness, for at
best they are hiding places for the Bees' worst enemies.