THE LITTLE GOLDEN FOLK !
(Page 7 of 10)
March/April 1974
By Bill Benintente
A smart beekeeper, by the way, always stands to the side of the hive when he's working . . . out of the guard bees' line of vision. The sentries become infuriated if you place yourself directly in front of them.
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With veil and smoker you can handle the largest hive with impunity. As a beginner, however, you may also want to use bee gloves ($2.00-$5.00 per pair) which are made of leather or coated drill cloth and reach all the way to the elbows, where they are tied. Later on, you'll find it easier to work without them.
Finally, you'll need a hive tool (or a screwdriver) to pry loose the supers and frames that have been glued tight by the bees since your last encounter. The tool costs $1.00 or so, depending on the dealer. They're all the same, except for weight grades, so buy the cheapest you can find.
SWARMING
As your colony gains strength, it may outgrow its quarters to the point that the queen and a large number of drones and workers swarm, or leave to seek a new home. When they're ready to do so (usually near the beginning of the honey flow), they begin to cluster in golden masses on the front of the hive. This is because they lack room or incentive to enter, or because the heat inside is becoming unbearable. Since days of precious foraging are lost in this way-and a successful attempt to swarm means the loss of half the colony or more-a beekeeper tries to hold down this instinct as best he can.
A colony swarms most often because there are too many bees trying to pack themselves into a hive of insufficient size. When a few empty supers of used comb or new foundation are added, the restless insects are usually satisfied to stay rather than split the community.
You can also prevent swarming by clipping the queen's wings or restraining her within the hive by means of a queen trap (a wire or perforated metal device that fits over the hive entrance and allows only the smaller workers to pass). With these precautions in force, the bees may rise joyfully into the air, buzzing like a low-flying aircraft . . . but when they realize that their leader isn't with them, they'll wander sheepishly back into the hive and forget the whole thing until next year.
Any swarm that does succeed in leaving usually won't go far at first because the queen isn't used to the bright daylight and finds flying difficult (she takes to the air only when mating or swarming). Wherever the mother alights, the colony surrounds her . . . and there it sits humming on a nearby branch, rock or bush, waiting for the scout bees to return with news of a newly found home.
If you find part of your colony in this condition, you must prepare an empty super with foundation frames and cut the branch to which the bees are clinging. In case their position prevents you from gathering them in a bunch, you can take a ladle or cup and spoon them gently into a basket or cardboard box. No, they won't sting! A new swarm is contented and gentle. This is so because the workers prepare for the move by filling themselves with honey to build fresh comb in their new location . . . and, as you already know, a honey-gorged bee won't attack unless greatly provoked. Just don't be foolish enough to think you can handle the critters roughly, though. If you do, they'll be rough in return.
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