If bees are given the right amount of room, stores, and protection
early in the fall, nothing that the beekeeper can do will benefit
them until it is necessary to handle them because of preparations for
swarming or because of the incoming nectar. Of course if bees are well
packed they get so strong in the spring that if crowded they begin
preparations for swarming earlier than do colonies which have been
neglected during the winter. By following the methods here described
the season for swarm control is advanced, so that usually it is
entirely passed before the honey-flow begins.
In the region of Washington it has been found best not to remove the
packing until at least May 1. Further south or in warmer regions it
may be well to remove the packing earlier, but in localities such as
New York or Wisconsin (zone F) the packing should be left in place
until at least May 20, and usually until June 1. Obviously this will be
impossible unless two hive bodies are left on the bees all winter, or
unless more room is given in the early spring, before unpacking. It has
been found that if the bees are allowed to remain in the cases until
the dates named they may then be taken out ready for whatever nectar
may come. By that time they should have 12 frames of brood--far more
than is found in the average colony throughout the country oven in the
midst of the honey-flow. Such colonies are so strong that if cooler
weather comes after they are unpacked, as it sometimes does, they are
not injured by it. Of course the bees would be as well of even better
off if the packing could be left on throughout the year, but as yet no
practicable way has been devised for giving the bees enough packing
during the winter and then leaving it on throughout the summer. The
commercial double-walled hives which have been devised for this purpose
are all too scant in packing material for good results, and none of
them can be recommended.
[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Map of the western United States, showing
variation in average date of first killing frost. For each locality
the recommendations for packing and unpacking are the same as in
corresponding zones in figure 5. The dryer atmosphere of most of the
West does not diminish the need of packing. For localities where the
first frost occurs after November 25 no packing is recommended.]
The dates given for the removal of packing in the spring follow
approximately the average dates of the last killing frost in the spring
for each locality. In case local conditions make the removal of the
packing unnecessary as early as the dates indicated, it is entirely
safe to leave the packing on until some manipulation makes it desirable
to handle the combs, as this can not well be done while the hives are
heavily packed.