Fig. 37.—Simplicity feeder. (From A B C of Bee Culture.)
Most of the queen-mailing cages are arranged to admit of their use in introducing the queens also, so that when received it is only necessary to withdraw a cork and place the cage on top of the brood frames, thus admitting the bees to the candy. They will eat their way in and release the queen in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. This plan is very good for such as lack experience in handling queens, and hence might injure them by grasping the abdomen, by pinching the thorax too hard, or by catching the legs on the wire cloth of the introducing cage.
Fig. 38.—Fruit-jar bee feeder. Bottom of feeding stage and perforated cap shown separately. (Orig.)
BEE FEEDERS.
During warm weather liquid food may be placed in any open receptacles which can be set in the upper stories of the hives. Tin fruit or vegetable cans that have been used may be made to serve the purpose, a wooden float for each or some bits of comb being put in to keep the bees from drowning; but during cool weather feeders arranged to admit the bees but not permit the escape of heat had better be employed. Glass fruit jars with metal caps are generally at Land, and make excellent feeders by merely punching a few holes in each cap. After the jar is filled with liquid food and the cap screwed on tightly it is inverted over a feed hole in the quilt or honey board. The cap, or top story, with cover, protects the whole, and it is very easy to see when more food is wanted by merely raising the cover slightly. If arranged on a feeding stage covered on the underside with wire cloth, as shown in [fig. 38], feeding may be accomplished without being troubled by the workers.
Feeders of various forms constructed of wood or tin, or of these materials combined, most of them serving the purpose excellently, are offered in catalogues of apiarian manufacturers.
SECTION FOLDERS.
Sections can be folded or put together readily over an accurately made block just large enough to fill the space inclosed by a section, and several machines to facilitate the work in case it is to be done on a large scale have been devised.