AMONG THE BEES

Shannon News, 27 August 1926, Page 4

AMONG THE BEES

(By D. S. Robinson, Departmental Instructor.) Beekeepers attention is again called to the necessity of obtaining at an early date material likely to be needed during the coming season, before tho rush of spring work starts. Where increase is intended extra hives should bo made, frames purchased and made up, Avax foundation should be ordered. No time should be lost in sending Avax to the comb foundation makers, by tl ose who send their OAvn bees-wax to be made up. The manufacture of wax foundation, in New Zealand, has, during the last few years, been brought to a high state of perfection, and beekeepers may now obtain foundation made in NeAA r Zealand, quite equal to that Avhich is imported, and at con; siderable less price. Shelter. There is still time to plant shelter hedges, if one has decided upon a permanent site for the apiary. The matter of shelter is highly important, hedges should be planted close enough to afford shelter from the Avind t 6 the bees, but not too close to cause shade or dampness. Bushes or trees should be planted thickly to give a close growing hedge at the base and should not be allOAved to grow above 8 or 10 feet high, The giant growing privet (Ligustruhi sinense) makes a first-class quickly-groAving hedge, and Avill thrive in most situations, Tagasaste (tree lucerne) is another excellent hedge to groAv, providing it is kepi away from stock, as cattle are very fond of it and will keep it eaten do wn. This hedge grows rapidly and provides a good bee food during winter and early spring. The advantage of having a good shelter hedgfe around the exposed sides of an apiary allows bees to take cleansing flights during mild days of Avinter, whereas bees in exposed positions are confined to their hives on even sunny days, and an occasional flight during winter is really as necessary for the good of the bee as anything the beekeeper can provide. y Examining the Hives. On fine warm days this month it will be quite safe to open hives for the purpose of examination. The three chief facts to note are: —Ist, quantity of stores in the hive. If there is a lack of honey artificial feeding must be resorted to, as outlined in the apiary notes for August; Tnd, the presence of foul brood or w.:x moths. A careful watch should be ..ept for foul brood, and amateurs net acquainted with this disease are adv.::o;l to apply to the Department of Ag Iculture for Bulletin No. 119, “American Foui Brood Treatment,” is issued free by the DepartmerL The wax moth Avill be described in future notes, and methods of treatment will be given; thirdly, ascertain if the hive is “Queen right.” Should the hive at this time of the year contain no eggs or sealed brood, it is safe to assume that it is either queenless or has a failing queen. This being the case, it is as Avell to unite it with a “Queen right” hive, using the following method:ToAvards sun down go to a “queen right” hive, gently remove the roof and mats and place a sheet of neAvspaper over it. Next go to the queenless hive, and Avithout removing thb mats or roof, lift the hive from the bottom board and place it over the neAvspaper on the “queen right” hive. A feAv small holes may i be punched through the paper with a small nail or pencil. Make sure that the queenless hive fits closely on the “queen right” hive, and that the only means of exit the bees from the top hive have is through the newspaper, in a few days the bees will have gnawed through the paper and both colonies will have united with very little trouble and fighting seldom occurs. This method of uniting is by far the safest and simplest means and may be employed at any time it is desirous to unite tAvo colonies together. Water. Brood rearing now being started in earnest, bees require a lot of water; and it is advisable where this is not handy to the apiary, for beekeepers to place a supply at the disposal off the bees. A shallOAv pan or dish should be provided in Avhich is placed a few slats of Avood or stones to serve as foot hold for the bees. Another good contrivance is to use a benzine tin, Thoroughly cleanse the tin and punch in the bottom a hole as large as a sixpence. Through this hole pass a piece of clean rag so that the water Avill fall a drop at the time. Under the tin, a container may be placed to catch the water and this, if filled Avitb clean sand, Avill afford -an excellent Avatering pi. ice for the bcCs. This com trivance should be placed in a shel-, tered place in the apiary. The bees will greatly appreciate a little salt added to the water. Box Hives. It is against the law to keep bees except in properly constructed frame hives and offenders are liable to be prosecuted. The Apiaries Act (Section 9), states: VNo beekeeper shall keep or knowingly allOAv to be kept on any land occupied by him, any bees except in a properly constructed frame hive.” The term “frame hive” means a hive containing moveable frames in which the combs are built, and Avhich may be readily removed from the hive for examination. Should any beekeeper be in possession of box hives, the bees should noAV be transferred to properly constructed frame hives Avhile brood is being reared. Prepare a frame hive Avith ten frames or foundation. Next blow a little smoke in at the entrance of the box hiye, then lift it to one side and place the frame hive in the position the box bive occupied, with the entrance facing the same way as did the entrance of the box hive. Noav turn the box hive upside down, and place an empty box the same size over it mouth to mouth. Then by beating or drumming on the lower hive the bees Avill desert the combs and climb to the upper empty box. When most of the

bees have vacated their old home, tht, top box may be removed and the bees shaken out onto a sack in front of the frame hive. This operation should be repeated till all the bees have left the box hive. The latter should now be removed to a place of safety and the combs cut out piece by piece, each piece being - examined in case the queen has not left the old hive; The hive (Should be examined a wesk later and if there are no signs of eggs the bees should be united to another colony by the paper method as described, as the lack bf eggs would indicate that the queen had either got lost, killed or injured during the process, of transferring. Should the bees be inclined to swarm out and not settle in the hive, this would also be an indication that the queen had been lost and in this case it would also be advisable to unite them to another colony. This method of transferring bees from a box hive to a proper frame hive should only be used when the beekeeper is absolutely sure that no disease is present in the box hive. Should any doubt at all exist or disease be present, a, small trench should be dug in which a Are is lighted, a handful or so of sulphur should be thrown on the fire and the box and its contents placed on it and burnt. The ashes and any remaining refuse should be buried. Re-Queening. Beekeepers who intend to re-queen their colonies this season should get in touch with the breeders of Italian queens and place their orders early as all queens are sent out in rotation, and it is the young early queen that will go a long way to help the bee- j keeper harvest a good crop of honey, j Associations. Several branches of the National Beekeepers’ Association are being formed in the district and it is to the advantage of every beekeeper to join an Association as through the Associations, lectures on beekeeping will be given and field days held at which practical demonstrations oh the hand-

ling and care of bees will be given. Mr. Allan Bates, of Kaponga, one of New Zealand’s most prominent bee- : keepers and Italian queen breeders, is offering a prize of a tested Italian queen bee, to each of the Beekeeping Associations formed in Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wellington and Gisborne pro\ r inces during the next season. | . : DR. A SANDER. M.D., L.R.P.C.. M.R.C.S. ider’s Eucalypti Extract is menulured under the personal supersion of Dr. A. Sander. Avoid common crude Eucalyptus preparations—these contain Phellandrene and other irritants. Get the genuine “Sanders" —pink carton with green label tearing , signature ‘Sander and Sons.”*