JUNE.
It will now be time to place glasses or small hives upon such stocks as are not intended to swarm, and it will be well not to do it until the bees begin to show evident signs of want of room; for then they will ascend immediately into the glasses, and commence working; but on the contrary, when they are put on too early—that is, before the stock hives are full with Bees, they will not go into them, but frequently swarm in preference; and besides, opening the hive to put on the glass before it is full with. Bees causes a circulation of cold air through its centre, which tends greatly to retard the hatching of the brood.
Guide-combs.—A glass should never be put on without having a piece or two of guide-comb placed at the top, which may easily be effected by first warming the zinc tube, and then attaching the comb to it whilst in that state.
Glasses.—For the method of placing glasses, small hives, &c., on the Improved Cottage Hive see [page 54], and for the treatment of swarms generally, taking honey, expelling the Bees from glasses, &c., see [page 56].
Bar Hives.—Persons who have possessed themselves of these excellent hives are by this time anxiously looking for swarms to put into them, or quite as anxiously watching the progress of those already at work in them. The guide-combs being properly fixed will insure their working regularly upon the bars of the stock box, but not quite so surely upon those of the upper one; for, notwithstanding every precaution being taken to prevent it, they will sometimes commence working their combs from the top of the stock box, which forms the floor of the upper one. This must be attentively watched for the first three or four days after opening the communication between the boxes, and any comb observed in this position must be immediately removed.
Artificial Swarms.—The present is a good time for obtaining artificial swarms, and where any form of the "Bar Hives" is used, the process is very simple, and may be thus effected:—From ten to twelve o'clock, on a bright morning, remove the board from the top of the parent hive; select a bar, the comb on which contains both eggs and brood, and if a royal cell, all the better, but this is not important; place the bar with comb in some convenient place, so that it is neither bruised nor separated from the bar; then turn up the parent hive, after having fastened down the top, and place the one intended for the new swarm upon it, observing that the junction is perfect; then, by a continuous gentle tapping upon the parent hive for a few minutes, a portion of the Bees will have ascended into the hive. Remove the parent hive 60 or 100 yards, placing it upon a fresh floor-board, and place the new hive exactly in the place of the old one, and upon the same floor-board; and, as quickly as possible, introduce the bar of comb filled with eggs and brood into its centre, replace the top, and endeavour to have the exterior of the hive as little altered in appearance as may be; it will then be found that the few Bees driven into the new hive, with the number returning to it that were out at work, with some that may come from the parent hive, will altogether make a fair-sized swarm. The parent hive will, in all probability, give another swarm in about fourteen days.
Swarming.—The time for swarms is now very nigh at hand, if we are to have any; but in weak stocks it is not very desirable. However, if they come, the best must be made of them. By all means let the new swarm be placed where it is to remain as soon as it is settled in its new hive, which rarely exceeds ten minutes. This will save the Bees much loss of time, as well as numbers of them their lives. When there is dull and cold weather in March and April, and even May, many stocks become weak and feeble, and numbers entirely perish; therefore, swarming, generally, must be later than usual; and those persons who are wishing to prevent it altogether must not be satisfied by simply placing boxes or glasses upon their stocks, but they must also see that the Bees take possession of them, and the best method to secure this is not to put the supers on until the Bees begin to be a little inconvenienced for want of room; and then, by placing a bit or two of guide-comb, as before directed, into the super, the Bees will enter it at once and commence working.
Queenless Stocks.—It is not at all unusual at this season to see the Bees of some hives, although possessing a good store of honey, quite inactive, carrying in no pollen, and basking in the sun at the mouth of the hive, but still giving smart resistance to a robber if he ventures to make an entry. This arises from the old age or death of the queen; and, if the Bees are numerous,, will go on in the same manner nearly through the summer. But, if the numbers be few, robbers will attack them, and little or no resistance will be offered; but frequently the Bees themselves will assist in carrying off the store to the pirates' home, where the queenless Bees will meet with a ready welcome. The best method to adopt in such a case is to introduce a piece of comb from a strong hive, which contains both brood and eggs, and ultimately do very well. In Taylor's Bar Hive this process is very easily effected, by merely taking a bar of comb from one hive and introducing it into another, or a piece of comb, with eggs and brood, may be fixed in a bell-glass, and placed upon the queenless hive.
Queen Wasps.—To destroy these "Bead's Syringe" is a very useful instrument, for by discharging it at them when they alight, it is sure to bring them to the ground, when the foot may easily be put upon them. It is important to every apiarian and gardener, but more especially the former, to destroy all they can at this season.
Early Breeding.—Many plans have been adopted to effect this very desirable object, and none entirely without success, but variously, according to the means used. The hives that have been simply bound with haybands are certainly earlier than those that have not; but those that have been covered with loose sacking, and then bound tightly round with oil-cloth, so that when the coverings were taken off for a few minutes the outside of the hive felt quite warm, are earlier still; whilst those placed in a greenhouse are earlier than either; but the earliest are those covered with fermenting stable-litter; yes, literally placed in the centre of a hotbed, leaving only a passage for the ingress and egress of the Bees.
Proper Time for Taking Honey.—It is probable that in favourable situations, towards the close of the present month, some glasses, small hives, or boxes of honey may be in a sufficiently forward state to allow of their being taken off, which may be known by their being filled with honey, and the combs all sealed up; or they may remain till those placed beneath them are also sealed up. Upon very strong and populous hives, in a good season, it is necessary to place even a third; but this must be removed with great caution, and certainly not before the end of August, or the beginning of September, and not then unless the parent hive contains full 20 lbs. of honey.