A Manual or an Easy Method of Managing BeesWeeks, John M. (John Moseley)
Science
A Manual or an Easy Method of Managing Bees
Weeks, John M. (John Moseley)
Bees
Bees are creatures of habit, and the exercise of caution in managing them
is required. A stock of bees should be placed where they are to stand
through the season before they form habits of location, which will take
place soon after they commence their labors in the spring. They learn
their home by the objects surrounding them in the immediate vicinity of
the hive. Moving them, (unless they are carried beyond their knowledge,)
is often fatal to them. The old bees forget their new location, and on
their return, when collecting stores, they haze about where they formerly
stood, sad perish. I have known some fine stocks ruined by moving them six
feet and from that to a mile and a half. It is better to move them before
swarming than afterwards. The old bees only will be lost. As the young
ones are constantly hatching, their habits will be formed at the new
stand, and the combs will not be as likely to become vacated, so as to
afford opportunity to the moths to occupy any part of their ground.
Swarms, when first hived, may be moved at pleasure without loss of bees,
admitting they are all in the hive; their habits will be formed in exact
proportion to their labors.--The first bee that empties his sack and goes
forth in search of food, is the one whose habits are first established. I
have observed many bees to cluster near the place where the hive stood,
but a few hours after hiving, and perish. Now if the swarm had been placed
in the apiary, immediately after they were hived, the number of bees found
there would have been less.
Bees may be moved at pleasure at any season of the year, if they are
carried several miles, so as to be beyond their knowledge of country. They
may be carried long journeys by travelling nights only, and affording them
opportunity to labor and collect food in the day time.
The importance of this part of bee-management is the only apology I can
make for dwelling so long on this point. I have known many to suffer
serious losses in consequence of moving their bees after they were well
settled in their labors.
Bees should never be irritated, under any pretence whatever. They should
be treated with attention and kindness. They should be kept undisturbed by
cattle and all other annoyances, so that they may be approached at any
time with safety.
An apiary should be so situated, that swarming may be observed, and at the
same time where the bees can obtain food easily, and in the greatest
abundance.
It has been a general practice to front bee-houses either to the east or
south. This doctrine should be exploded with all other whims. Apiaries
should be so situated as to be convenient to their owner, as much as any
other buildings.
I have them front towards all the cardinal points, but can distinguish no
difference in their prosperity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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