APIARY NOTES.

Shannon News, 13 May 1927, Page 3

APIARY NOTES.

The following notes are kindly supplied by Mr D. S. Robinson, Apiary Instructor to the Department of Agriculture, and will be found of interest to bee-keepers; —■ All surplus honey shc.uld have been removed from the hives before this date, leaving sufficient for the bees to winter on namely about 40 pounds. Any . hive short of this amount of stores must be fed artifically, on syrup or on honey from a diseased free apiary. The necessary syrup is made by heating two parts best white (Al.) sugar to one part of water, this mixture should not be allowed to boil, but heated sufficiently to dissolve all the sugar, and fed cold to the bees. Peed at this time of the year should be fed irf inside feeders, late iu the afternoon when the bees have done flying, this is to prevent robber bees find ihg the syrup. Failing properly constructed feeders the syrup may be poured, into a shallow pan (such ds a clean benzine tin cut down) placed on the hive above the cluster of bees, a few small pieces,of wood should be placed in the pan for the bees to rest on when feeding, a shallow super is put on the hive, and over" the pan a few strips of wood should be placed to allow the bees to reach the syrup under the mat, the mat should be placed over the pan to conserve the heat of the hive. ,

Any hive found queenless at" this time of the year, the bees should be destroyed and the . combs stored away in a dry place, or, the bees may be united to a queen right weak hive, by the naper method. Roofs of hives should be examined and care/taken to see that they are watertight, any large cracks in the hives should be stopped up, tall grass and weeds should be removed from around the hive. Hives on damp ground should be raised, to keep the , bottom boards as dry as possible. Hives in localities likely to flood, should be removed to higher ground. Roofs should be weighted or wired down to prevent the wind blowing them off. .The health of the colony and thus the future season’s crop : of honey depends largely oh keeping the bees dry and healthy during the winter months

Many beekeepers make the mistake of placing their hives under trees or under hedges, where the winter sun never reaches the hives, the hives are thus in a state of dampness during the winter months, it must be remembered that bees love the- sunshine, and although, they should be sheltered from winds they 'should not be sheltered from the sunshine; bees kept in damn shady places 1 as a rule are far more vicious than those kept in the sunshine. ■ ‘ Foul Brood. —When putting the apiary in order for the winter, any hives found badly diseased should be burnt at once;' in cases where the disease is in a mild form, the combs showing the disease should be removed and burnt, thes* combs should be replaced with drawn out combs or, frames fitted with full sheets of foundation, and hives noted for treatment in the spring. Entrances should be contracted to a small entrance, tc guard against robber -bees and mice, mice if sufficient room is allowed will gain entrance to the hive and destroy the combs within the hive during the winter months. Extracting sheds and all material and tools should be thoroughly cleaned, and put in order, tanks, utensils and tools likely to rust should! be painted over after being cleaned with hot oil. Winter Shows.—Beekeepers’ attei.tion is called to the honey and beeswaxclasses irf the winter shows, and advised to compete whenever possible. Showing honey at shows not only allows the beekeeper to compare his or her products with those of rival beekeepers, but at the same time it is a cheap and good form of advertising honey and bringing it. before the public. Next, month’s notes will deal in methods of preparing honey and beeswax for showing, and also on the care cf combs during the winter months.