INCREASE OF COLONIES.
No subject will be of more interest to the beginner, than that of
increasing stocks. He has one or two, he desires as many score, or, if
very aspiring, as many hundred, and if a Hetherington or a Harbison, as
many thousand. This is a subject, too, that may well engage the thought
and study of men of no inconsiderable experience. I believe that many
veterans are not practicing the best methods in obtaining an increase
of stocks.
Before proceeding to name the ways, or to detail methods, let me state
and enforce, that it is always safest, and generally wisest, especially
for the beginner, to be content with doubling, and certainly, with
tripling, his number of colonies each season. Especially let all
remember the motto, "Keep all colonies strong."
There are two ways to increase: The natural, known as swarming, already
described under natural history of the bee; and artificial, improperly
styled artificial swarming. This is also called, and very properly,
too, "dividing."
SWARMING.
To prevent anxiety and constant watching, and to secure a more equable
division of bees, and, as I know, more honey, it is better to provide
against swarming entirely by use of means which will appear in the
sequel. But as this requires some experience, and, as often, through
neglect, either necessary or culpable, swarms may issue, every apiarist
should be ever ready with both means and knowledge for immediate
action. Of course, the hives were all made the previous winter, _and
will never be wanting_. Neglect to provide hives before the swarming
season, is convincing proof that the wrong pursuit has been chosen.
If, as we have advised, the queen has her wing clipped, the matter
becomes very simple, in fact, so much simplified that were there no
other argument, this would be sufficient to recommend the practice of
cutting the queen's wing. Now, if several swarms cluster together, we
have not to separate them, they will separate of themselves and return
to their old home. To migrate without the queen means death, and life
is sweet even to bees, and is not to be willingly given up except for
home and kindred. Neither has the apiarist to climb trees, to secure
his bees from bushy trunks, from off the lattice-work or pickets of
his fence, from the very top of a tall, slender, fragile fruit tree,
or other most inconvenient places. Nor will he even be tempted to pay
his money for patent hivers. He knows his bees will return to their
old quarters, so he is not perturbed by the fear of loss, or plans
to capture the unapproachable. It requires no effort "to possess his
soul in patience." If he wishes no increase, he steps out, takes the
queen by the remaining wings, as she emerges from the hive, soon after
the bees commence their hilarious leave-taking, puts her in a cage,
opens the hive, destroys, or, if he wishes to use them, cuts out the
queen cells as already described (page 167), gives more room--either
by adding boxes or taking out some of the frames of brood, as they may
well be spared, places the cage enclosing the queen under the quilt,
and leaves the bees to return at their pleasure. At night-fall the
queen is liberated, and very likely the swarming fever subdued for the
season.
If it is desired to hive the absconding swarm with a nucleus colony,
exchange the places of the old hive containing the caged queen, and the
nucleus, to which the swarm will then come. Remove queen-cells from the
old hives as before, give some of the combs of brood to the nucleus,
which is now a full colony, and empty frames, with comb or foundation
starters, or, if you have them, empty combs to both, liberate the
queen at night and all is well, and the apiarist rejoices in a new
colony. If the apiarist has neglected to form nuclei, and so has no
extra queens--_and this is a neglect_--and wishes to hive his swarm
separately, he places his caged queen in an empty hive, with which he
replaces the old hive till the bees return, then this new hive, with
queen and bees, and, still better, with a frame or two of brood,
honey, etc., in the middle, which were taken from the old hive, is
set on a new stand. The old hive, with all the queen-cells except the
largest and finest one removed, is set back, so that the apiarist has
forestalled the issue of after-swarms, except that other queen-cells
are afterward started, which is not likely to happen. The old queen
is liberated as before, and we are in the way of soon having two good
colonies. Some apiarists cage the queen and let the bees return, then
divide the colony as soon to be described.
Some extensive apiarists, who desire to prevent increase of colonies,
cage the old queen, destroy cells, and exchange this hive--after
taking out three or four frames of brood to strengthen nuclei--with
one that recently swarmed. Thus a colony that recently sent out a
swarm, but retained their queen, has probably, from the decrease of
bees, loss of brood and removal of queen-cells, lost the swarming
fever, and if we give them plenty of room and ventilation, they will
accept the bees from a new swarm, and spend their future energies in
storing honey. Southard and Ranney have been very successful in the
practice of this method. If building of drone-comb in the empty frames
which replaced the brood-frames removed, should vex the apiarist--Dr.
Southard says they had no such trouble--it could be prevented by giving
worker-foundation. If the swarming fever is not broken up, we shall
only have to repeat the operation again in a few days.
HIVING SWARMS.
But in clipping wings, some queens may be omitted, or from taste, or
other motive, some bee-keepers may not desire to "deform her royal
highness." Then the apiarist must possess the means to save the
would-be rovers. The means are good hives in readiness, some kind of
a brush--a turkey-wing will do--and a bag or basket, with ever open
top, which should be at least eighteen inches in diameter, and this
receptacle so made that it may be attached to the end of a pole, and
two such poles, one very long and the other of medium length.
Now, let us attend to the method: As soon as the cluster commences to
form, place the hive on the ground near by, leaving the entrance widely
open, which with our bottom-board only requires that we draw the hive
forward an inch Or more over the alighting-board. As soon as the bees
are fully clustered, we must manage as best we can to empty the whole
cluster in front of the hive. As the bees are full of honey we need
have little fear of stings. Should the bees be on a twig that could be
sacrificed, this might be easily out off with either a knife or saw,
and so carefully as hardly to disturb the bees; then carry and shake
the bees in front of the hive, when with joyful hum they will at once
proceed to enter. If the twig must not be cut, shake them all into the
basket, and empty before the hive. Should they be on a tree trunk, or
a fence, then brush them with the wing into the basket, and proceed as
before. If they are high up on a tree, take the pole and basket, and
perhaps a ladder will also be necessary.
Always let ingenuity have its perfect work, not forgetting that the
object to be gained is to get just as many of the bees as is possible
on the alighting-board in front of the hive. Carelessness as to the
quantity might involve the loss of the queen, which would be serious.
The bees to ill not remain unless the queen enters the hive. Should a
cluster form where it is impossible to brush or shake them off, they
can be driven into a basket, or hive, by holding it above them and
blowing smoke among them. As soon as they are nearly all in--a few
may be flying around, but if the queen is in the new hive, they will
go back to their old home, or find the new one--which Mr. Betsinger
says they will always do, if it is not far removed--remove the hive to
its permanent stand. All washes are more than useless. It is better
that the hive be clean and pure. With such, if they are shaded, bees
will generally be satisfied. But assurance will be made doubly sure by
giving them a frame of brood, in all stages of growth, from the old
hive. This may be inserted before the work of hiving is commenced. Mr.
Betsinger thinks this will cause them to leave; but I think he will
not be sustained by the experience of other apiarists. He certainly
is not by mine. I never knew but one colony to leave uncapped brood;
I have often known them to swarm out of an empty hive once or twice,
and to be returned, after brood had been placed in the hive, when they
accepted the changed conditions, and went at once to work. This seems
reasonable, too, in view of the attachment of bees for their nest of
brood, as also from analogy. How eager the ant to convey her larvæ and
pupæ--the so-called eggs--to a place of safety, when the nest has been
invaded and danger threatens. Bees doubtless have the same desire to
protect their young, and as they cannot carry them away to a new home,
they remain to care for them in one that may not be quite to their
taste.
If it is not desired to increase, the bees may be given to a colony
which has previously swarmed, after removing from the latter all
queen-cells, and adding to the room by giving boxes and removing some
frames of brood to strengthen nuclei. This plan is practiced by Dr.
Southard. We may even return the bees to their old home by taking the
same precautionary measures, with a good hope that storing and not
swarming will engage their attention in future; and if we exchange
their position with that of a nucleus, we shall be still more likely
to succeed in overcoming the desire to swarm; though some seasons,
usually when honey is being gathered each day for long intervals, but
not in large quantities, the desire and determination of some colonies
to swarm is implacable. Room, ventilation, changed position of hive,
each and all will fail. Then we can do no better than to gratify the
propensity, by giving the swarm a new home, and make an effort
TO PREVENT SECOND SWARMS.
As already stated, the wise apiarist will always have on hand extra
queens. Now, if he does not desire to form nuclei (as already
explained), and thus use these queen cells, he will at once cut them
_all_ out, and destroy them, and give the old colony a fertile queen.
The method of introduction will be given hereafter, though in such
cases there is very little danger incurred by giving them a queen at
once. And by thoroughly smoking the bees, and sprinkling with sweetened
water, and daubing the new queen with honey, we may be almost sure of
success. If desired, the queen-cells can be used in forming nuclei,
in manner before described. In this way we save our colony from being
without a fertile queen for at least thirteen, days, and that, too,
in the very height of the honey season, when time is money. If extra
queens are wanting, we have only to look carefully through the old hive
and remove all but one of the queen-cells. A little care will certainly
make sure work, as, after swarming, the old hive is so thinned of bees,
that only carelessness will overlook queen-cells in such a quest.
TO PREVENT SWARMING.
As yet we can only partly avert swarming. Mr. Quinby offered a large
reward for a perfect non-swarming hive, and never had to make the
payment. Mr. Hazen attempted it, and partially succeeded, by granting
much space to the bees, so that they should not be impelled to vacate
for lack of room.' The Quinby hive already described, by the large
capability of the brood-chamber, and ample opportunity for top and
side-storing, looks to the same end. But we may safely say that a
perfect non-swarming hive or system is not yet before the bee-keeping
public. The best aids toward non-swarming are shade, ventilation,
and roomy hives. But as we shall see in the sequel, much room in the
brood-chamber, unless we work for extracted honey--by which means we
may greatly repress the swarming fever--prevents our obtaining honey
in a desirable style. If we add sections, unless the connection is
quite free--in which case the queen is apt to enter them and greatly
vex us--we must crowd some to send the bees into the sections. Such
crowding is almost sure to lead to swarming. I have, by abrading the
combs of capped honey in the brood-chamber, as suggested to me by Mr.
M. M. Baldridge--causing the honey to run down from the combs--sent the
bees crowding to the sections, and thus deferred or prevented swarming.
It is possible that by extracting freely when storing is very rapid,
and then by rapidly feeding the extracted honey in the interims of
honey secretion, we might prevent swarming, secure very rapid breeding,
and still get our honey in sections. Too few experiments, to be at all
decisive, have led me to look favorably in this direction.
The keeping of colonies queenless, in order to secure honey without
increase, as practiced and advised by some even of our distinguished
apiarists, seems to me a _very questionable practice_, to which I
cannot even lend my approval by so much as detailing the method. I
would rather advise: keeping a, queen, and the workers all at work _in
every_ hive, if possible, all the time.
HOW TO MULTIPLY COLONIES WITH THE BEST RESULTS.
We have already seen the evils of natural swarming, for, even though no
stock is too much reduced in numbers, no colony lost by not receiving
prompt attention, no Sunday quiet disturbed, and no time wasted in
anxious watching, yet, at best, the old colony is queenless for about
two weeks, _a state of things which no apiarist can or should afford_.
The true policy then is to practice artificial swarming, as just
described, where we save time by cutting the queen's-wing, and save
loss by permitting no colony to remain queenless, or still better to
DIVIDE.
This method will secure uniform colonies, will increase our number
of colonies just to our liking, will save time, and that, too, when
time is most valuable, and is in every respect safer and preferable to
swarming. I have practiced dividing ever since I have kept bees, and
_never without the best results_.
HOW TO DIVIDE.
By the process already described, we have secured a goodly number of
fine queens, which will be in readiness at the needed time. Now, as
soon as the white clover harvest is well commenced, early in June, we
may commence operations. If we have but one colony to divide, it is
well to wait till they become pretty populous, but not till they swarm.
Take one of our waiting hives, which now holds a nucleus with fertile
queen, and remove the same close along side the colony we wish to
divide. This must only be done on warm days when the bees are active,
and better be done, while the bees are busy, in the middle of the
day. Remove the division-board of the new hive, and then remove five
combs, well loaded with brood, and of course containing some honey,
from the old colony, bees and all, to the new hive. Also take the
remaining frames and shake the bees into the new hive. _Only be sure
that the queen still remains in the old hive._ Fill both the hives
with empty frames--if the frames are filled with empty comb it will be
still better, if not it will pay to give starters or full frames of
foundation--and return the new hive to its former position. The old
bees will return to the old colony, while the young ones will remain
peaceably with the new queen. The old colony will now contain at least
seven frames of brood, honey, etc., the old queen, and plenty of bees,
so that they will work on as though naught had transpired, though
perhaps moved to a little harder effort by the added space and five
empty frames. The empty frames may be all placed at one end, or placed
between the others, though not so as to divide brood.
The new colony will have eight frames of brood, comb, etc., three from
the nucleus and five from the old colony, a young fertile queen, plenty
of bees, those of the previous nucleus and the young bees from the old
colony, and will work with a surprising vigor, often even eclipsing the
old colony.
If the apiarist has several colonies, it is better to make the new
colony from several old colonies, as follows: Take one frame of
brood-comb from each of six old colonies, or two from each of three,
and carry them, bees and all, and place with the nucleus. _Only, be
sure that no queen is removed._ Fill all the hives with empty combs,
or foundation instead of frames, as before. In this way we increase
without in the least disturbing any of the colonies, and may add a
colony every day or two, or perhaps several, depending on the size
of our apiary, and can thus always, so my experience says, prevent
swarming.
By taking only brood that is all capped, we can safely add one or two
frames to each nucleus every week, without adding any bees, as there
would be no danger of loss by chilling the brood. In this way, as we
remove no bees, we have to spend no time in looking for the queen, and
may build up our nuclei into full stocks, and keep back the swarming
impulse with great facility.
These are unquestionably the best methods to divide, and so I will not
complicate the subject by detailing others. The only objection that
can be urged against them, and even this does not apply to the last,
is that we must seek out the queen in each hive, or at least be sure
that we do not remove her, though this is by no means so tedious if we
have Italians, as of course we all will. I might give other methods
which would render unnecessary this caution, but they are to my mind
inferior, and not to be recommended. If we proceed as above described,
the bees will seldom prepare to swarm at all, and if they do they will
be discovered in the act, by such frequent examinations, and the work
may be cut short by at once dividing such colonies as first explained,
and destroying their queen-cells, or, if desired, using them for
forming new nuclei.