THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 4032, 23 June 1931, Page 11

THE APIARY.

LEAKY HIVE COVERS. Apart from disease, there is nothing worse in an apiary than defective hive covers. Those which allow moisture to trickle through are a constant menace to the colony they are intended to shelter. Not only will the mats immediately beneath become sodden and mouldy, but the cluster of bees in the hive stands in danger of extermination when frost sets in. There will then be pollution on the bottom board, where the intruding moisture, mixing with dead bees and waste pollen forms a rotten fermenting mass, with a stench which the order-loving bees find obnoxious.

There is no excuse for leaky covers. In the autumn the apiarist should examine them for doubtful spots, and, where necessary, cover them with zinc, rubeToid, or some other waterproof material. If economy must be practised, he should cover the hive with cheesecloth, applying to the roof first a coat of paint, then the cheesecloth, and then another coat of paint. This makes an effective waterproofing. To keep bees desirably warm during winter the frames should be covered with mats. Provide three or four for each hive. Ordinary cornsacks cut the size of a zinc queen excluder answer the purpose, and are very durable. Avoid using calico mats, as these are next to useless for wintering purposes. It is essential that the mats should fit exactly over the frames. If too small they admit draughts, and if too large the edges protrude beyond the hive covers. In wet weather these will absorb sufficient water to cause the mats to become damp and unhealthy and the combs mouldy.

FEED INSIDE THE HIVE. Honey, although it is the natural food of bees, excites them much more than sugar syrup. There is also the risk of introducing the germs of brood diseases with honey of unknown origin, while its stronger odour may attract bees from other hives, and thus cause trouble by starting robbing. Feeding should always be done inside the hive in a properly constructed feeder. Ip the case of colonies which do not cover all the combs of the brood chamber, some of the outside combs may be removed before feeding is commenced, so that the whole of the syrup will be stored in as few combs as possible, and where it will be covered by the cluster of bees, and thus prevented from souring. Sugar syrup is made of two parts (by weight) of 1A sugar and one part water. The water is brought to boiling point and the sugar added, keeping the vessel on the fire and stirring continuously till the liquid is perfectly clear. On no account should the syrup be left on the stove or fire without stirring, as it burns very easily, and in that state is injurious to bees.

A feeder (which may be obtained for 6d) is necessary to prevent waste. It is a small piece of wood grooved into narrow divisions. This is the most convenient form of feeder for box hives. The box is raised at one end, the feeder placed on the floor board, and the syrup poured in while still warm. The box is then lowered again. If a stock of bees is quite out of stores, at least 51b of syrup should be given, and more later on if required. It will be better to give the syrup as fast as the bees will take it than to continue feeding for days. The longer the excitement lasts the more food is consumed without purpose.

BEEKEEPERS IN CONFERENCE. CHRISTCHURCH, June 17. The annual conference of the New Zealand Beekeepers’ Association was opened to-day. Mr R. Gibb presided. The delegates were welcomed by the Mayor. The speakers stressed the fact that the future of the industry depended on an export market. Mr W. J. Jordan, M.P., said that they had reached the end of their tether, and something would have to be done. Fresh avenues must be looked for or the present ones exploited to their fullest capacity. The president emphasised the need for maintaining the quality of the product. AN IMPORTANT POINT. , The National Beekeepers’ Association of New Zealand on Thursday morning spent half an hour in committee discussing the recent case at Timaru before Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., in which £7O damages was awarded against L. F. Robins, a beekeeper. The brief facts of the case were that two horses of a neighbour were killed by being stung by bees owned by Mr Robins, and another horse was damaged. Reporting in open board, the chairman (Mr R. Gibb) said that the association had decided to support the appeal against the magistrate’s decision. “We intend to fight the case in the Supreme Court,” he said. “ The decision strikes at the life of our industry, and we are going to stand behind Mr Robins in his appeal.”