MONTHLY DUTIES.
THE successful management and care of bees requires forethought and
preparation for all labor and care bestowed on them, if we desire to
bestow it at the proper time, and in the most judicious manner. I have
in this chapter given only brief hints as to the work to be performed.
Such of my readers as are located in a climate essentially differing
from that of the New England States, will perceive the necessity of
varying their management to correspond with the difference in climate,
etc.
I shall repeat some of the statements already made, in order to impress
them more thoroughly upon the bee-keeper. The object of this chapter
is to bring to the mind of the bee-keeper the more important duties
required in the successful use of the system recommended in this work.
JANUARY.
We will commence with January as it is the first month in the year.
In this month construct hives, honey boxes, etc. Give the new hives a
good coat of paint. They will last longer, and as they are to remain
out of doors the year around, it is very essential that they be
preserved against the weather. A good, heavy coat of paint, spread over
good lumber, will prevent cracking and warping. Employ the time, in
this month of comparative leisure, in getting everything in readiness
for the approaching honey season.
FEBRUARY.
February like January is not a busy month with bees in the Northern
States, neither do they require much care. If not finished last month,
continue the work of January by making hives, honey boxes, and all
fixtures required in the management of the bees in the coming season.
In some sections bees will fly briskly the last of the month. Clear
away the snow from the front of the hives at that time. Set out meal
food for the bees, provided they fly briskly.
MARCH.
At the commencement of this month, clear the snow away from the front
of the hives; raise the hives up on blocks at the corners, remove the
bottom board under the brood section, and brush out all accumulations,
which might invite the bee moth to deposit her eggs, if suffered to
remain through the summer. This accomplished, set the hive back in its
place. The first day that the bees fly, set out the meal as heretofore
directed. Commence to feed liquid food as early as the bees will take
it. Feed regularly every day, or every other day, at evening. When you
commence to feed, remove the packing from the cap, and also take off
the ventilator. The space over the comb frames not covered with the
feeder, cover with a small honey board. Let the packing remain at the
sides until you have put on the side boxes, or until some time in May,
as it keeps the brood chamber warm, which is essential in forwarding
breeding. Open a small portion of the upper entrance (about one-third)
and keep the passage open at the bottom, the same as during the winter.
APRIL.
Early in April--the first warm, sunny day--examine your stocks, and
see if they have fertile, laying queens. If the queen is all right,
there will be eggs and brood in the brood cells. Don't keep the hives
open any longer than is necessary, as the cold air might chill the
brood. At this time, if some stocks have a large amount of honey in
the combs of the brood section, exchange such with some stock that
has but little; as it is a disadvantage to have too much sealed honey
in the brood combs in the spring. It sometimes happens that all the
brood combs will be filled with sealed honey nearly down to the bottom,
leaving but a very small place on two or three combs near the bottom
for breeding purposes. In such cases, take out two or three combs, and
exchange with other stocks having empty combs, leaving in each such as
have brood and eggs, in every stock. Don't take out any bees. In this
manner equalize your stocks, and all will be benefited. If any stocks
are found queenless, or with diseased or worthless queens, take means
to furnish them with a fertile, laying queen, as soon as possible. In
the meantime, keep the entrances to such hives contracted very small,
so but very few bees can pass at one time, to prevent attacks from
robbers. Queenless stocks, or those which have diseased or drone-laying
queens, will not resist an attack from robber bees with as much vigor
as a stock having a fertile and prolific queen. .
MAY.
If surplus honey is our object the coming season, early in this month
put on the boxes at the sides, and the last of the month, or as soon as
the bees commence work in the side boxes, put on the top boxes, except
at the place occupied by the feeder. It may be well to feed liberally
for about ten days before fruit blossoms appear, in order to get the
bees at work in the boxes. You can judge what is best. If the stocks
are backward in breeding, the comb not filled with eggs and brood in
nearly every part, it will be best to defer liberal feeding until a
little later. You should have the brood combs filled with brood and
eggs before liberal feeding is begun, else the bees will fill with
honey what should be filled with eggs and brood; and thus the number of
bees will be reduced from what there would be if the queen deposited
eggs in all the cells. You want all the bees possible to gather the
honey harvest of June, July, August and September.
If you want swarms, put on boxes early and continue feeding, and you
can have swarms and a good crop of surplus honey also.
About the time fruit blossoms appear, or a little before, open both
entrances to their full extent, in all strong and healthy stocks.
JUNE.
This is the month for swarms. It is also the month, in most localities,
when the best quality of box honey is collected. If you have arranged
for swarms to appear this month, have everything in readiness for
them. If you are arranging for surplus honey, remove the boxes as fast
as filled, and replace with empty ones. Hive the swarms as soon as
clustered. Be sure not to let them remain in the hot sun for any length
of time. Have your hives all ready. This month is a good time to rear
queens in the miniature hives. Keep the grass and weeds about the hives
cut down. They harbor the moth miller, when suffered to grow about the
hives.
JULY.
Continue to take off boxes as fast as filled. Keep a sharp lookout
that the moth worms do not get in and injure the honey in the boxes
which you have removed. If the supply of honey fails when the boxes are
only partially filled, feed the bees liberally, until the boxes are
finished. Do this as soon as honey fails, as the bees will store faster
in boxes if fed as soon as the natural supply of honey ceases. It will
be well to put on a few boxes--say, one side to each new swarm which
has been hived early; and also on old stocks that swarmed early. Put
the boxes on one side first; then if the bees go to work in them, put
in the other side.
AUGUST.
If you have a market near home, the surplus honey in boxes will sell
very well the last of this month, before honey is brought from away;
but if you are to ship a great distance, the weather will be too warm
in this month. Keep a close watch that the boxes you have taken off do
not get wormy. Eternal vigilance is the price of success.
Keep boxes on your hives through this month and next for surplus honey.
Keep down the grass and weeds from about the hives.
SEPTEMBER.
In some localities September gives a very good yield of honey. I
recollect one season in particular, since I adopted my present system
of bee management, when the yield of box honey in September was very
remarkable. Some of my hives of bees filled their full sets of boxes
almost entirely in a few days. I think that it was in considerably less
than two weeks, that they finished them up, and they had only a slight
start--a few small pieces of comb in some of the boxes, and in the
others none at all.
Feed at the last of the month to complete all partially filled boxes,
and at the very last of the month, or first of October, feed such
swarms as may be deficient of stores for winter, if you prefer to do
this rather than to equalize by exchange of comb frames, as directed
in another place. If you decide to thus equalize, do it the last of
October or the first of November.
OCTOBER.
At the commencement of this month, continue to feed such stocks, if
any, as are short of honey, yet are supplied with a good amount of comb
in which to store honey. As the yield of honey from flowers closes this
month at its end remove all boxes from the hives. Such as are partially
filled with comb or honey may be set in a cold, dry place, and remain
for use another year. If placed where they will freeze, and then sealed
up carefully so the moth miller cannot get in, they will be in good
condition when wanted next season. Boxes that have comb about a third
full or even less, are finished very quickly by the bees. Be sure to
keep all such boxes for the next season. You probably have a few queens
in your miniature hives. Look over your stocks, and if any are found
queenless, or with diseased queens, give them a new and prolific one.
NOVEMBER.
The first of November, if not already done, exchange comb frames, from
stocks deficient in stores to winter, with such as can spare a frame
of honey. Do this until all have stores sufficient for winter. Twenty
pounds of honey will render them safe until you begin to feed in the
spring. From the middle to the last of November is usually the time to
prepare the hives for winter, by packing with hay or straw as directed
in another place. This should not be done until a few days before
steady cold weather sets in. Care should be exercised not to put it off
until it is too cold; neither should it be done too early. Be sure to
pack thoroughly. Success in wintering depends in a great degree upon
thorough work in packing the hives.
DECEMBER.
In this month procure your lumber and all material for making hives,
boxes, etc., to be worked up during the winter. If there are small
villages or large cities near by, you will find this month a good time
to market your honey, if you have any on hand. With a little effort
you can have ready customers for your goods, or at least a portion of
it. Honey in glass boxes is in such nice shape, that any one who likes
a fine article, will pay a liberal price for it, after they have once
tested its quality. In a few years you will have established a trade
with ready customers, near home, at remunerative prices.