are: (1) The labor required is considerably less, fewer visits being
required, so that this method is particularly adapted to out-apiary
conditions. (2) It is possible to determine with much greater accuracy
which colonies show the most desirable traits for breeding purposes.
(3) It can be more safely practiced if brood diseases are imminent.
=SUMMARY.=
(1) The workers that take part in storing a crop of honey from any
given honey flow are usually those reared within the period of six or
eight weeks just preceding the honey flow. The workers reared previous
to this period are too old to be of much value as gatherers while those
reared after this period mature after the flow has ceased.
(2) It is necessary that the beekeeper know what plants are likely to
furnish the surplus honey and their approximate period of bloom so that
he can determine the limits of the heavy brood-rearing period in order
to secure the largest possible working force for the honey flow.
(3) Colonies should be in a normal condition at the beginning of
this period. (_a_) If the surplus is from an early flow, this normal
condition can be obtained only by proper management the previous
late summer and autumn, together with good wintering. Good queens,
preferably young, together with sufficient room for brood rearing and
winter stores, are important conditions during late summer and autumn.
(_b_) Stores and protection are important factors in early brood
rearing. (_c_) The character of the brood combs and the race of bees
each have some influence upon brood rearing.
(4) During the time that workers for the harvest should be reared brood
rearing should be constantly accelerated.
(5) Brood rearing is often restricted during this period (_a_) because
of limited stores and (_b_) because of limited room in the brood
chamber.
=Using Available Workers to Best Advantage During the Honey Flow.=
Brood rearing, which is of primary importance during the preceding
period, becomes of secondary consideration at about the beginning of
the honey flow, because this is nearing the limit beyond which time the
resulting bees develop too late to take part in gathering and storing
the crop of honey. At this time, therefore, there is a radical change
in purpose of the manipulations. Instead of continuing the expansion of
the brood chamber, the policy of the beekeeper should now be rather a
concentration of the workers and brood. There is perhaps a limit to the
number of workers that can be profitably kept in a single hive and set
of supers, but this limit is seldom reached, the usual mistake being in
having too few. Each colony should have its brood chamber well filled
with brood in a compact form and be so crowded with young and vigorous
workers that they will immediately occupy the supers when the honey
flow actually begins. The brood chamber of colonies occupying more
than one hive body should at this time be reduced to one, any extra
brood being used in colonies having less than one brood chamber full of
brood. After this operation, should there still be some colonies left
with the brood chamber but partly filled with brood, they should be
filled with combs of brood and adhering bees (without the queen) drawn
from some colony or colonies too weak to work well in comb-honey supers.
It may be advisable to unite the weaker colonies in order to secure
the proper strength for the best work. This massing of the workers
in strong colonies, so essential to the production of a fancy grade
of comb honey, renders necessary extremely careful and skillful
management, since the efforts of the beekeeper may still be nullified
in either of two ways: (1) The bees may divide their forces by swarming
into two or more parts, neither of which would be ready to work in the
supers until the season is much advanced or perhaps closed entirely,
or (2) being balked in their desire to swarm or from lack of convenient
storage space, etc., they may do very poor work even during a good
honey flow simply because the conditions of the colony are such that
the storing instinct is not dominant. _To bring about the best results
in comb honey, the entire working force of each colony must be kept
undivided and the means employed in doing so must be such that the
storing instinct remains dominant throughout any given honey flow._
Any increase made before or during the flow[3] is made at the expense
of the surplus honey unless it be made with brood that would emerge
too late for the young bees to be of use during the honey flow (p.
31). In general, however, increase may be made at much less expense by
setting aside some of the colonies for that purpose. To keep the forces
together and satisfied, with the storing instinct dominant during a
good flow, is the most difficult problem with which the producer of
comb honey must deal.
[3] In localities where the main honey flow is so late that colonies
may be divided long enough before the flow so that both colonies may be
built up to proper strength in time to take advantage of it, of course
increase previous to the flow would be advisable. This condition is
rare in comb-honey localities.
=Swarming.=
All colonies do not behave alike as to swarming. (1) There are certain
colonies that go through the season with apparently no thought of
swarming. Such colonies do the very best work in the supers, and their
number can be increased by skillful management. (2) Other colonies
start queen cells preparatory to swarming, but can be persuaded to give
it up by such mild measures as destroying the queen cells and perhaps
removing a few frames of brood. (3) Certain colonies are determined to
swarm and, unless the flow ceases, nothing short of swarming or some
radical manipulation will satisfy them. (4) A certain percentage of
queens fail during the honey flow and swarming may occur in connection
with the supersedure. Such colonies usually do very poor work in
comb-honey supers.
The beekeeper can do much (1) toward increasing the percentage in
the first group and discouraging those of the second--_preventive
measures_, and (2) toward making the most of the colonies under the
third and fourth groups--_control measures_.
=PREVENTIVE MEASURES.=
Some effort has been made toward the final elimination of swarming by
breeding from colonies showing the least disposition to swarm. Although
after years of selection bees continue to swarm when conditions are
favorable, many practical beekeepers testify to having greatly reduced
the percentage of swarming colonies by years of careful selection and
breeding. It would certainly seem advisable to replace the queens of
all colonies which persist in swarming with young queens reared from
colonies less inclined to swarm. The swarming problem has also been
attacked from the standpoint of the hive and mechanical attachments,
finally resulting in the invention of a "nonswarming" hive. More
attention has, however, been paid to the prevention and control
of swarming by manipulation than along either of the other fines,
probably because proper manipulation gives immediate results and is
now available as a means of preventing the losses due to swarming. The
success in swarm control attained by the best beekeepers is a result of
some effort along all three of the above fines at the same time.
Among the manipulations that tend to discourage swarming are (1) the
introduction of young queens (preferably reared from selected stock);
(2) an abundance of empty comb in the brood chamber at all times
previous to the honey flow; (3) prompt work in the supers at the
beginning of the flow induced by using "bait sections" or extracting
combs in the first super given, thus tiding the colony over one of the
critical periods; (4) a judicious manipulation of the supers during the
honey flow (p. 41); (5) the use of more nearly perfect worker combs
in the brood chamber, since drone comb and imperfect cells (p. 22)
have the effect of contracting the brood chamber, thus bringing about
a crowded condition; (6) an abundance of ventilation during the honey
flow, obtained by means of a large entrance or by raising the hive
above the bottom board by means of small blocks; (7) protection of the
hive from direct rays of the sun during the hottest portion of the day
by some such means as a double cover or shade board; (8) the removal
of one or two frames of brood and the substitution therefor of empty
combs or sheets of foundation; (9) the destruction of all queen cells
provided they contain only eggs or very small larvæ.
If queen cells are well advanced, their destruction usually has little
or no effect as a swarm preventive measure. While destroying queen
cells in their early stages can not be relied upon as a preventive of
swarming, beekeepers who practice examining the brood chambers once a
week for queen cells during the swarming season are usually surprised
at the number of colonies that can be induced to give up swarming and
turn their attention to storing in this way. Such a result at least
partly compensates for the large amount of labor required for these
weekly examinations.
=CONTROL MEASURES.=
After having taken all precautions as to preventive measures there
win still be some colonies that will attempt to swarm when producing
comb honey. During poor seasons of course the percentage may be
quite low, but during good seasons the conditions are sometimes such
that a majority of the colonies may make an effort to swarm. Swarming
colonies, however, may be controlled in such a manner that practically
as much surplus honey is secured as if the colony made no attempt to
swarm. If but a single apiary is being operated and the beekeeper is
present during the swarming season, the bees may be permitted to swarm
naturally without loss to the beekeeper; but if several apiaries are
being operated, it is more economical to employ some method by which
swarming may be controlled by visiting each apiary at given intervals
during the swarming season, rather than to have an attendant at each.
=Control of Natural Swarms.=
Natural swarms may be managed (1) by allowing them to cluster
naturally, then hiving them in the ordinary manner; (2) by the clipped
queen method; (3) by the use of queen traps (fig. 13; see Farmers'
Bulletin No. 447, pp. 29-30); or (4) by use of the swarm catcher.[4]
[4] This is simply a wire-cloth cage large enough to be set over the
hive or be fitted over the entrance. If the attendant is provided with
a number of these catchers he can avoid the usual confusion ordinarily
occurring when several swarms issue at about the same time. After being
caught in this manner the swarms may be hived at the convenience of the
beekeeper.
[Illustration: Fig. 13.--Drone and queen trap on hive
entrance. (From Phillips.)]
To keep the forces together (1) the swarm without the queen may be
returned to its hive, the queen cells destroyed a week later, and the
colony afterwards requeened (p. 36); or (2) the brood may be removed
from the hive while the swarm is out, after which the swarm with the
queen is returned. The former method is useful under some conditions
(p. 37), but the latter is the one usually preferred.
When the swarm is hived back without the brood on its old location in
this manner, the colony does not lose any of its flying bees and is
back at work with renewed energy in the same set of supers it was but a
few minutes before so eagerly deserting. Instead of removing the combs
from the brood chamber the usual practice is the removal of the entire
brood chamber and the substitution of another whose external appearance
is the same. This method of swarm management keeps the bees, queen,
and supers together and is one of the most satisfactory known. It is
not, however, adapted to out-apiaries or any apiaries not having an
attendant, and requires considerable time in watching for and hiving
swarms.
[Illustration: Fig. 14.--Colony before swarming; supers in
place. (Original.)]
=USING THE REMOVED BROOD TO BEST ADVANTAGE.=
The disposition of the brood that is left when a swarm issues should be
such that (1) no "after-swarms" (swarms resulting from the emergence of
a plurality of virgin queens) are permitted to issue and (2) that the
emerging workers may be used to the best advantage.
"After-swarming" may be prevented by (1) breaking up the parent colony
before any of the young queens emerge, using the unhatched brood
elsewhere, (2) by destroying all queen cells but one before any young
queens emerge, or (3) by greatly reducing the population of the parent
colony[5] just before the young queens emerge.
[5] The term "parent colony" applies to the one in the hive from which
the swarm issues and is in common use, though the correctness of the
term is questionable.
[Illustration: Fig. 15.--Brood placed in hive turned 90
degrees from old entrance. (Original.)]
If swarming occurs at a time when the resulting young bees can take
part in gathering and storing the crop of honey, the usual practice
is to allow the brood to emerge in a separate hive and later to add
these young bees to the colony from which it was taken. Under such
circumstances this reenforcement of the swarm is especially desirable,
since otherwise its forces are constantly diminishing during the 21
days (the time required for worker brood to develop) immediately
following the removal of all its brood. The brood, however, may be used
anywhere in the apiary and should be placed where the resulting bees
will be most needed. The plans given below make use of at least a part
of the emerging bees in reenforcing the swarm from which the brood was
taken.
When hiving natural swarms on the old location as suggested above,
the old brood chamber is provided with a bottom and cover and set
aside, usually with its entrance turned away about 90° from its former
position (figs. 14, 15). This is to prevent any field bees returning
to the parent colony. A day or so later it is turned about 45° toward
its former position (fig. 16) and as soon as the bees have this
location of the entrance well marked the hive is placed parallel to the
hive on the old stand (fig. 17). So far as the bees returning from the
field are concerned, these two colonies are now on the same stand.
[Illustration: Fig. 16.--Hive with brood turned back to 45
degrees from old entrance. (Original.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 17.--Hive with brood turned parallel to
old entrance. (Original.)]
The further disposition of the remnant of the brood and young bees
may be by any one of the following methods: (1) One week after the
swarm issues, or just before the parent colony would cast a second or
"after-swarm," it may, when the bees are well at work in the fields, be
removed and given a new location. This throws the entire flying force
into the colony having the supers, where they are of greatest service,
and so depletes the other colony of its flying bees just when the
young queens are emerging that "after-swarming" is usually prevented.
(2) Before moving it, away the parent colony may be more thoroughly
depleted of its young bees by shaking most of them from their combs,
adding them of course to the colony with the supers. The comb
containing the finest queen cells should not be shaken, since to do so
will probably injure the immature queens. Two or three frames should
be left with their adhering bees in order that the parent colony will
still contain enough workers to care for the remaining unemerged brood.
(3) Instead of moving the parent colony away as in (1) above, the bees
may all be added to the swarm by shaking them from their combs, and the
combs then distributed among nuclei previously prepared. By successive
additions of frames of brood these nuclei are finally built up into
full colonies and "after-swarming" is prevented. (4) Instead of giving
the parent colony a new location, as in (1) above, it may be shifted
to the opposite side of the swarm on the old stand (fig. 18) and by
thus shifting it from one side to the other at intervals of several
days the young bees as they hatch and learn to fly will finally all be
added to the colony with the supers. Few beekeepers, however, go to
this extreme, as the season usually closes before the latest emerging
young bees are thus transferred to the colony with the supers and these
later-emerging bees may be used for increase at little if any expense
in surplus honey. (5) If increase is not desired, the bees may be added
to the swarm on the old stand as before, and after 10 or 15 days the
combs of the parent colony still containing some unhatched brood may be
used on which to hive another swarm. Before being used for this purpose
the bees are of course shaken from these combs and added as before to
the swarm on the old stand. (6) If the honey flow is of long duration
or conditions otherwise such that the storing colony may prepare to
swarm again, the brood chamber of the parent colony may be left by
the side of the swarm (fig. 18) until the young queen begins to lay,
then restored to its original position on the old stand and the supers
transferred to it. The brood chamber containing the old queen is moved
to one side, its flying bees thus induced to enter the hive containing
the young queen. The two colonies may afterwards be united or the one
containing the old queen may finally be moved to a new location for
increase. If, when using this plan, a virgin queen or a ripe queen cell
is given the parent colony just after the swarm issues, this colony is
ready to be restored to its original position on the old stand about a
week earlier than if left to requeen itself.
[Illustration: Fig. 18.--Hive with brood placed on other side
of old entrance. (Original.)]
In case the emerging bees are not to be added to the storing colony the
brood and young bees may be used in one of the following ways:
(1) They may be used immediately after the swarm issues to build up
such colonies as are not strong enough to work in the supers or to
build up previously prepared nuclei, as in (3) above. Before being used
in these ways the adhering bees are usually added to the swarm.
(2) The parent colony may be placed at once on a new stand and given
a laying or virgin queen. To allow such a colony to requeen itself
usually results in its casting an "after-swarm," since it becomes
quite populous again before the young queens emerge. This plan does
not make immediate use of the emerging bees but may be useful under
some conditions. (3) If the honey flow is of long duration or is
followed closely by a second, two parent colonies, as in (2) above, may
be placed upon the same stand, one of which is given a queen but with
the queen cells destroyed in the other. After two or three weeks the
bees may be shaken from the queenless colony in with the queen-right
one. Such colonies are in excellent condition for rapid work in the
supers.
=WHAT TO USE IN THE BROOD CHAMBER WHEN HIVING SWARMS.=
(1) The use of narrow strips of foundation 1 inch or less in width in
the brood chamber offers some advantages. (_a_) When the brood chamber
contains only these narrow "starters" and supers of partly filled
sections are transferred from the parent colony to the new swarm at
the time of hiving, there being no cells below in which to store the
honey, it is taken to the supers. Under these conditions work in the
brood chamber goes on slowly, the work of the colony being largely in
the supers. (_b_) Colonies that are thus required to construct a set of
new combs in the brood chamber and that are supplied with sufficient
storage room seldom attempt to swarm again during the same season,
even though the flow be of long duration. (_c_) The treatment of brood
diseases may be combined with swarm control. (See Farmers' Bulletin No.
442, p. 14.) The greatest objection to their use is in the excessive
amount of drone comb usually built when anything less than full sheets
of foundation are used, especially if the queen is old or the brood
chamber large in proportion to the size of the swarm.
(2) The use of full sheets of foundation in the brood frames has the
decided advantage of resulting in straight combs having the maximum
number of cells of the worker size, but is more expensive than the
narrow strips and allows a more rapid building of comb in the brood
chamber, which under some conditions is considered a disadvantage.
(3) The exclusive use of either narrow strips or full sheets of
foundation in the brood chamber when hiving swarms necessitates the
use for a short time of a queen excluder (fig. 2) if the supers are
transferred from the parent colony to the swarm at the time of hiving,
since otherwise the queen would probably enter the sections and a brood
nest be established there. To avoid the use of queen excluders for this
purpose, one or more empty combs maybe used in each brood chamber,
the remaining frames containing full sheets of foundation. This empty
comb also serves as a storage place for pollen that may be gathered
before the other combs of the brood chamber are constructed. Otherwise
this pollen may be stored in the sections (p. 46). It is also
probable that fewer colonies will "swarm out" or desert their hives
if hived in a brood chamber containing one or more empty combs than
if foundation only is used. A disadvantage of this plan is that the
cells near the top bar of the comb may be so elongated as to interfere
with the complete drawing out of the foundation in the adjacent frame.
Empty combs can not well be used in connection with narrow strips of
foundation, since their use favors the construction of drone comb.
(4) Empty combs are sometimes used with the idea of saving the bees the
work of constructing a new set of combs. Under same conditions this is
false economy and gives poorer results than starters or foundation.
With very strong colonies, or with the brood chamber contracted to five
or six frames, empty combs in the brood chamber may give good results.
Medium colonies on a full set of empty combs are included to store the
honey in the brood chamber and neglect the supers.
(5) Combs of honey are sometimes used on which to hive swarms. In some
instances the beekeeper uses frames of foundation or empty combs above
the brood chamber previous to and during the first few days of the
honey, flow for the purpose of discouraging swarming and afterwards
uses these partly filled combs on which to hive swarms. In order to
make room for the queen, this honey is rapidly carried above, and
stored in the sections.
(6) Combs of sealed brood in which no eggs have been laid during
the previous 10 days or 2 weeks may be used. Such combs are usually
available toward the close of the swarming season from colonies that
have swarmed 10 days or 2 weeks before. This plan is especially
desirable when the beekeeper runs short of hives during the swarming
season. In some localities, however, the character of the flow is such
that the colonies may later again prepare to swarm when hived on either
empty combs or combs of sealed brood.
=EXTREME CONTRACTION OF THE BROOD CHAMBER WHEN HIVING SWARMS.=
Some beekeepers contract the brood chamber, when hiving swarms, to five
or six frames, the remaining space being filled by means of division
boards or "dummies." This reduction in the capacity of the brood
chamber results in practically all the honey being stored in the supers
and also restricts brood rearing at a time when the resulting bees
develop too late to become gatherers. This is especially adaptable to
locations furnishing an early flow of white honey followed by a later
flow of darker honey. The white or more marketable honey is stored in
the supers and later the brood chamber is expanded and provisioned for
winter with the less desirable honey. Some beekeepers accomplish a
somewhat similar result by hiving two swarms together in a single hive
body.