TRANSFERRING BEES.
AS some of my readers may have bees in ordinary hives, which they would
like to transfer to the Controllable Hive, I will devote a chapter to
Transferring.
If you have bees in a box or patent hive, or any of the thousand and
one bee hive humbugs, which are of little or no profit, and cause you
much trouble and perplexity in swarming time, and frequent and heavy
losses in winter, you can move them into Controllable Hives--comb,
honey and bees together--and manage them on the plan here recommended,
and they will winter well, come out strong and healthy in the spring,
and cause comparatively no trouble in swarming time, yielding you a
good profit yearly.
The best time to transfer is as early in spring as the weather becomes
warm enough to keep the bees active every day, which, in the New
England States, is usually in April. It is a good time to transfer
about twenty-four days after the first swarm issues from a stock, as at
that time there is but little brood, and usually but few bees. October
is a very good time to transfer, but not as good as either of the times
before mentioned. Great care is required to prevent robbing, and also
to have the comb frames all filled with combs, and in good position for
the bees to winter. As cold weather is so close at hand, the bees will
have but little time to arrange for winter.
In transferring, construct the Controllable Hive as directed, with
exception of the comb frames, from which leave off the triangular
piece, as the comb can be better fitted to a flat surface. Make several
holes one-fourth inch in diameter through the top, bottom and ends of
frames, and a like number of sharp wooden pins about two inches long to
fit these holes.
Early in the morning, before the bees begin to fly, prepare your
smoker, go to the hive you propose to transfer, and before you touch
it, smoke the bees at the entrances moderately, giving them two or
three puffs, waiting about a minute and giving them two or three
more. Then stop the entrances, so no bees can escape. Take the hive
from the stand and carry it to some out-building, so the bees from
the other hives will not trouble you, and get a taste of the honey,
thereby inciting them to robbery. Turn the hive bottom up, and with
two sticks, each about a half-inch in diameter and twelve inches
long, strike the hive lightly half a dozen times, and then wait for
two or three minutes. Then with the sticks on each side of the hive
drum briskly (but lightly, so not to break the comb,) for about five
minutes. Then puff smoke under the bottom board on all sides. Much
of this preliminary work is for the purpose of confusing the bees,
and inducing them to fill themselves with honey from the cells of the
hive, as a bee gorged with honey will never volunteer an attack for
the purpose of stinging. The bees are now ready to be transferred. You
will need some one to assist you, and it will be necessary for you to
put on your articles of protection, and keep your smoker in readiness
for use, as occasionally a swarm is bard to subdue, though the great
majority of them are perfectly docile after the treatment recommended.
But we are to "beard the lion in his den," and to be forewarned is to
be forearmed.
The bees usually manifest their submission by a loud humming noise.
If after you commence operations (before you get the side of the hive
off) they show a disposition to be cross, replace the bottom board,
close the entrances, if open, and give the insects a good smoking, at
the entrances, and by raising the bottom board enough to introduce
the smoke; give them the smoke freely for several minutes. Then again
remove the bottom board. (These directions apply to the common box
hive. If hives of a different pattern are operated upon, vary the
operation to conform to the requirements of the case, applying the same
principles.) Then with a chisel and hammer remove one side of the hive
(the side to which the bees have attached the least comb,) and with a
thin, sharp table-knife, cut the edges of the comb from the sides of
the hive. It is well to have a table or stand near by, with a cloth
folded in several thicknesses, on which to lay the sheets of comb with
the bees adhering, if necessary. The cloth prevents crushing. Cut out
a comb from the hive with the bees adhering, and cut off the edges, if
required, so it will fit the new frame closely at the top and bottom.
No matter if it does not go the whole length of the frame from front
to rear, as the bees will finish it.[12] Have the comb occupy the same
position, relatively, in the new hive, that it did in the old. When the
comb is in place in the frame, secure it by putting the wooden pins
through the holes in the frames into the combs, and having fastened it
firmly in place by means of the pins, place it in the Controllable Hive
in its proper position.
[Footnote 12: But very few hives are large enough for their combs to
fill the movable comb frames of the Controllable Hive.]
Tims proceed, till all the frames of the Controllable Hive are filled,
or the comb in the old hive is exhausted. In transferring, very old,
black combs should be discarded even if you do not have your new hive
more than half full. Get all the bees, it possible, in the new hive,
and when you set it on the stand, close the lower entrance entirely,
and let the upper one remain only one-half open, for a few days, until
the bees get well located in their new home. Be careful not to crush
any of the bees, and take special care not to injure the queen.
As you will probably complete the operation of transferring at about
the time that bees will be flying briskly about the other hives, it
will be better to put wire cloth over the entrances, to confine the
bees you have transferred, and let them remain in the out-building
until about an hour before sunset; then set them on the stand and give
them their liberty. Keeping them shut up for the time named, gives them
a chance to take up the honey which runs from the transferred combs,
and which might, if the bees were carried immediately to the stand,
incite robbing.
Transferring is by no means so formidable an operation as at first
appears. I have transferred a very large number of swarms from the old
box hives, without any protection for hands or face, and now the bees
seldom show any disposition to sting. Yet I would advise beginners
to protect themselves, until by practice they become familiar with
the work. "Practice makes perfect" is an old and true saying, and it
applies to all operations with bees, I assure you. In my first attempts
at this work I thought I must be protected, and I would not for the
world proceed without a protector, and that of the most invulnerable
kind. Now, having had much practice, I feel no necessity for any
covering whatever. I trust I have made my method of transferring
perfectly plain, so that every one who wishes may avail themselves of
its advantages.