Part 2
The dimensions of the frames are as follows: Top bar 6½ × ⅞ × ¼ in.; bottom bar 5½ × ⅞ × ¼ in.; end pieces 5½ × ⅞ × ¼ in. The top and bottom bars are nailed to the end pieces. A block is used to form them on when nailed, so that when the frames are put up they are all alike.
To stock this hive with bees, brood, stores and queen, remove from a full colony one comb containing brood in all stages of maturity with the queen and adhering bees. Place the hive on the grass, or a cloth, and brush the bees from the comb directly in front of it. They will at once run in, or, at any rate, stay about the hive until the combs are transferred to the small frames. To cut the combs in the small frames, lay the full comb on a clean board, place one of the little frames over it, and with a sharp knife cut the brood into the frame. If nicely done no strings or sticks will be needed to keep the brood in the frame. One of the combs should contain honey, pollen, etc.
The bees will soon repair the damage done the combs and brood, and, in the course of 24 hours, this colony will be in condition for the business of producing eggs for queen-rearing.
If any clean and nearly new pieces of comb about the size of the nucleus frame are at hand use them for the breeding-queen to deposit eggs in. Never place the empty comb at the side of the hive. The queen will utilize it at once if placed near the centre of the brood-nest.
In four days after inserting the comb it will be filled with eggs and larvae in just the light condition for cell-building and queen-rearing. From this time on a new comb can be given the nucleus each day. If desired to start cell-building every day in the week, eggs will always be found in the right condition for use if the above instructions are followed.
Now, I dislike the bother of starting queens every day. To avoid doing so and still have plenty of eggs, I use three breeding queens and start cell-building every fourth day. I like the idea of having hundreds of queen-cells growing at one time. Then when queens hatch they come in large numbers, and can be sent out by mail in the same proportion. A large queen-dealer cannot do a successful business on a small scale. He must branch out and have queens by the hundreds on hand at any time during the season from which he can draw a supply of fertile queens when orders are to be filled.
PREPARING A COLONY OF BEES FOR QUEEN-CELL BUILDING
I think I have made the matter of getting eggs for queen-cells so clear that all may understand how to proceed, and now will give several methods for preparing colonies of bees for queen-cell building.
I have always worked on the theory that bees should be put in proper condition for rearing queens several hours before any eggs are given them from which they may rear queens. The entire colony should be put in a “broody” state by dequeening and then given six hours at least to realize their queenless condition. There are three ways for doing this.
METHOD NUMBER ONE
Before giving any of the methods I will describe some of the necessary apparatus to use in this arrangement. One of the handiest things for use in the apiary is a wire screen shown in fig. 2. This screen is made in about the same style as a common window screen and the size of the top of the brood-nest of the hive. I always have at hand some half dozen of these wire covers and they come into use many times when necessary to confine bees in the hive.
Now when ready to “seize” a colony of bees for the purpose of forcing them to rear queens against their natural will, proceed in this way: If a colony working in sections is selected, the super should be removed the previous day and all the bees allowed to return to the hive. When the sections are taken off place the screen on and just fasten it by one or two small nails. The next morning fasten the bees in by using a similar screen and suitable for confining the bees so that none can escape. Now the colony is ready to be taken to the bee-room and all the bees removed from the hive and combs. To the novice this may seem like a huge undertaking, yet it is not and does not require one half the time to perform as it does to describe it so that it can be understood.
I so arrange my workshop that all the above work is easily and quickly done. When the hive is taken to the bee-room it is placed on the cap of a hive and then I just sit down and at once commence operations. The first thing is to give the bees tobacco smoke at the entrance as well as some at the top through the screen, all the while drum on the hive, or excite the bees by striking the hands on the sides of the hive. This causes the bees to fill with honey and in the course of ten minutes they are ready and in condition to be brushed from the combs into a box where they will remain quiet until all are removed from the combs and hive. The screen is first removed from the top, the bees shaken from it, then the combs are taken out, one at a time, and all the bees brushed from them into a hive-cap. While doing this work some of the bees may attempt to fly, or crawl up the sides of the cap, if they do, more smoke is blown among them, when they soon quiet down and remain so for quite awhile. When all the bees have been removed, the queen should be hunted up. If the work of finding the queen is rightly done, it will not require but a few minutes to find her. Of course the bees must be pushed over considerably in the operation. The best tool for such a purpose is the wide part of a 4 × 4 section. Never use feathers or a small broom for such work.
When the queen is found, the bees are forced into one end of the cap by a sudden strike of the box on the floor, and then they are quickly dumped into another box the exact size of the hive the bees were taken from. This latter box has a wire-cloth bottom; the cover is a screen same as above described. This arrangement gives the bees all needed air while confined. It is necessary to nail three pieces of wood ⅞ inches square across the bottom of the box so that the air will not be shut out when the box is resting on anything. The bees are then put in a cool place until the time arrives for giving them eggs for cell-building.
The bees disposed of, we now have all the brood of a strong colony to take care of. Now for the first two or three colonies treated as above, I divide the brood among the weaker colonies in the apiary. By this operation, the light colonies soon become strong and in condition for the first flow of honey. At this stage of the work, we have a colony of queenless bees; the brood disposed of, and everything is in readiness for starting the bees to building cell-cups in a natural and practical way. We will now suppose the bees have been queenless six hours. The next move is to get the frame, or piece of comb containing the eggs, cut in strips and fasten in position so the bees will at once commence work on cell-cups.
This work cannot be done in a cold room. Have in the workshop a three-wick oil stove, not only for heating purposes but to use in other necessary work in queen-rearing operation. Another thing that must be at hand is a tin vessel in which there are equal parts of rosin and bees-wax. Melt these on the oil stove, mix thoroughly and when quite hot it will be ready for use.
We will now suppose the comb containing eggs for queen-cells has been taken from the hive and is at hand ready to be prepared. This is cut in strips by using a thin, hot knife by the lines as shown in fig. 3. Now the egg in each alternate cell of the strips should be removed in order that sufficient room may be given for large queen-cells. I know of no better way of doing this than by taking a common “scratch” match between the thumb and fore finger, inserting the “scratch” end in the cell and rapidly twirling it for a moment. This effectively destroys the egg as shown in fig. 4.
Now the next thing to do is to fasten the comb on strips of wood and in such a position that the bees will construct a large number of queen-cells. Fig. 5 illustrates three rows of completed queen-cells and the manner of fastening the strips of comb to the wood. This is done by lightly dipping the strips of comb in the wax mixture. Just touch the edges of the cells of the opposite side of those in which the eggs were destroyed and quickly place the comb on the wood.
The strips of wood mentioned here, but more fully described on another page, are 1–4 inches thick, 1 inch wide and cut any length desired. The queen-cells shown are fastened to such strips of wood described. The cells illustrated are completed and nearly matured, or, in other words, are about ripe. The illustration shows but few cells; this was owing to the fact that they were built late in the season and from drawn foundation, in fact, they were the last hatch of queen-cells of the season 1902. Earlier in the summer, the bees under the same conditions would have started many more queen-cells. However, the illustration is the best one I have been able to obtain of completed queen-cells.
To go back to fastening the strips of eggs to the pieces of wood, will say that when placing the strips in position if the comb is pressed down a little harder at both ends than it is in the middle, it will be made a little curving on the underside, thus giving more room for the queen-cells. But this curving business must not be carried too far, as too much curving will elongate the cells and the bees will remove the egg from all such and but few queens would be reared.
The reader will appreciate the fact that it is almost impossible to lay down any set rules, or to describe every little detail connected with the rearing of queen bees.
I can give all the main points in the business, but those who rear queens by them must use good judgment and a fair amount of common sense. That is what is needed in the queen-rearing business. Experiment and practice are as much needed in queen-rearing as in any other occupation one is at work at.
A piece of nice worker comb 5 × 5 inches square will furnish all the eggs a large colony of bees should be allowed to work into queen-cells. Such a piece of comb if carefully cut will make about ten strips containing a dozen or more eggs. Always give eggs in proportion to the quantity of bees that are to do the work of cell-building.
When the strips of comb are fastened to the sticks and in the frame, they should be placed in a brood-box and the balance of the space of the hive filled by combs of honey and pollen. In no case use combs that have brood in them.
Now all being ready set the box of bees in a convenient place on the floor: put the box of combs between yourself and the bees. With a sudden drop of the box on the floor all the bees will go to the bottom and before they can recover from their surprise, remove the cover, place it on the box of combs and quickly place the combs over the box of bees. Now all the labor is done excepting giving the bees water until the next morning. All this work can be done without even one bee escaping in the entire operation.
The bees can be left in the bee-room over night, and placed on the stand about 10 o’clock the following day. Water may be supplied them while confined by splashing a little over the frames and on the bees, through the wire cover at the top.
When the bees are released they may be somewhat excited, not being wholly reconciled to loss of their queen. To pacify them place a caged queen at the entrance for a few hours, then they will quickly quiet down and the queen can be taken away and all will go on as though nothing had happened to the colony.
The bees are left 24 hours to build cell-cups, and then another thing must be done if first-class queens are to be reared. Now the colony to which the eggs are given will commence to build from 40 to 60 cell-cups, or would rear from 40 to 60 queens if none of the cell-cups were removed. But such a thing should never be permitted, as not one queen out of all those reared would be of any good. Should the colony commence to build 60 cell-cups, the proper thing to do would be to divide that number of cells equally among three strong colonies of bees. Well, you say, how can this be done? If at this time bees are gathering honey from the fields and in a high state of success, the cell-cups can be placed above a colony of bees as has been and is now practiced by many breeders of queen-bees. I want it understood, however, that I do not so advise anyone, as by the method to follow this very much better queens are reared. Yet if bees are in a swarming mood, pretty good queens are reared over the brood-nest.
I shall advise all not to rear queens by above method excepting at swarming time, as under no other conditions can good queens be reared by such a system when any kind of a queen is in the hive the bees occupy. Of course, if a colony is about to supersede its queen, fairly good queens are reared while a queen is in the colony.
Only a few of the queens reared under the supersedence process are first-class. Bees do not seem to work with that interest when superseding an old queen as they do when absolutely queenless, or are about to cast a swarm.
THE THEORY OF USING YOUNG BEES IN QUEEN-REARING
I have given three methods of preparing bees for cell-building. The final result is the same in all cases. The only difference being in the manner of doing the work of preparing the bees. Now, how many of my readers understand the correct theory of taking all the bees of a colony for such work rather than only a part of it? Let me describe. Old bees will not and cannot rear good queens; they will commence cell-cups and complete queen-cells, but no strong queens will come from them.
Why is this so? Simply because old bees have passed from the stage of nurses to the sphere of honey and pollen-gatherers, or out-door workers. Old bees cannot prepare the proper food for nursing either worker or queen-bee larvae.
What are considered old bees in this connection are those that have been made queenless and kept so from three days to a week; such bees are of no value as cell-builders, as after being queenless thirty-six hours they seem to lose their enthusiasm and interest in the work.
Now as to the correct theory of taking _all_ the bees of a colony for cell-building or for rearing queens. By such an operation every nurse bee in the hive is taken, and this includes thousands of just hatched bees that are maturing each day as nurse bees, thus keeping up a constant supply of nurses.
How many of the readers of this work ever watched bees building queen-cells in an observatory hive? Why, a queen-cell, until it is capped is never without a worker bee’s head in it. The young bees keep a constant watch over the little worm within, and it is supposed that each bee that thrusts its head into the cell leaves a small amount of royal jelly. You all know that every cell from which a strong and healthy queen has emerged contains a lump of royal food as large as a pea. The amount is greatly in excess of the needs of the royal occupant.
It is the young bees that do all the labor in the hive and in rearing queens, and the more young bees there are engaged in the work the better will be the quality of the queens reared.
By this the reader will understand why all the bees of a colony should be used in building cell-cups and in completing queen-cells.
Has any one connected with the rearing of queen-bees ever before explained this point in any book or publication?
Notwithstanding the fact that young bees are constantly maturing as nurse bees, as above detailed, it is not good policy to compel any given lot of bees to commence cell-cup building a second time. After once starting one batch of cell-cups the interest and enthusiasm has vanished, and pretty poor work will be done.
Hens, ducks and birds of all kinds will sit on their eggs for a time, but there is a limit to the “broody” condition in all such cases. Hens have been known to sit six weeks, or rather have been compelled to sit long enough to “hatch out” a second brood of chickens. But in many such cases the nest is deserted before the second lot of eggs mature. It’s but little use to overwork Nature. Natural laws must be observed in all such cases. This I have tried to apply to all my operations in queen-rearing.
PREPARING BEES FOR CELL-BUILDING
METHOD NUMBER TWO
My favorite way of preparing bees for cell-building is given in Method No. 1. No doubt many will say they cannot do any thing of the kind; ’tis too fussy and takes too much time, etc. It is not fussy nor in any way difficult to perform. However, I will give two other methods for preparing bees for cell-building, making a colony queenless, etc.
We must start in the same as in case No. 1, that is, the sections must be removed the day previous.
Now proceed in the usual way of “drumming out” a swarm. The proper way to do this, and the way I practiced artificial swarming, or dividing a colony of bees, is as follows: Blow rottenwood smoke among the bees through the entrance; this so alarms the colony that all the bees commence to fill their sacs with honey. By drumming on sides of the hive, while smoking is being done, greatly helps in the operation.
When the bees seem ready to go up into the cap, more smoke should be introduced and a vigorous drumming on the hive kept up. In this way about two-thirds of the colony will run up into the cap. Now give them a few minutes to sort of settle down and become quiet. Remove the cap, invert it and throw a cloth over the box. Give the bees a few puffs of tobacco smoke under the cloth. In a few minutes the cloth can be removed, the queen hunted out and the bees dumped into a box same as described in Method No. 1.
By this plan bees, in either box or frame hives, can be utilized for queen-rearing. The queen can be re-introduced at once.
In a few hours, bees thus prepared, will be ready to build queen-cells and all that is necessary to do is to proceed as in case of No. 1.
METHOD NUMBER THREE
Early in the morning remove the queen from a populous colony. At night they will be in a proper condition for cell-building. When ready, prepare the eggs and queen-rearing hive as given above. Remove the queenless colony to a new stand, twenty feet away, and put the queen-rearing hive in its place. Now after arranging to brush the bees down in front of the latter hive, take out the combs of the queenless colony and brush or shake, at least one-half of the bees in front of the queen-rearing hive. They will all run in and at once commence to construct queen-cells, and the next day will be seen working just the same as if nothing had happened to them. The queen removed in the morning may be given back to the old colony.
This operation so depopulates the colony that little will be done in the supers for a week or ten days. But as the combs are filled with brood in all stages, and as the queen is with them, the stock will soon recover and get back in fine condition.
I have tried to make the above very clear. Of course it is all plain and easy to me, but how other people can translate it so as to understand it is the question. In none of the works I have published were the methods made so clear, but nearly all who read these books have stated that they had no trouble in rearing queens by the methods given.
The “Beekeepers’ Handy Book,” a work of nearly 200 pages, and “Thirty Years Among the Bees” were treatises on queen-rearing published by me within the last fifteen years. Some 5000 copies were issued and both books are now out of print.
HOW TO REAR THE VERY BEST QUEENS
Of all the methods I have given or shall give for having cell-cups, or queen-cells completed, none of them will compare with the one given below. I believe this method is entirely new. Certain am I that it never has appeared in any publication, nor has it even been brought to my notice by anyone.
After reading what follows the reader will understand why I advised letting queenless bees work on cell-cups from twelve to twenty-four hours.
In the course of twelve hours after bees have worked on the queen cells, remove the queen from one of the strongest colonies in the yard. Twelve hours later remove one of the side combs from the hive and three or four other combs laterally so as to leave space in the centre of the brood-nest for one of the frames on which the queen-cells are started. Now cover up with a super or in any way to suit the convenience of the apiarist. Not later than five days remove the frame of completed queen-cells to a queenless colony, replace the combs in the hive just as they were at the start and reintroduce the queen and never mind about looking the combs over for queen-cells, as the old queen will be well received and will soon destroy all queen-cells that may have been started.
Of course if there are cell-cups enough started by the queenless bees, say 40 or 60, not less than three strong colonies should be prepared as per above, as 20 queen-cells are as many as the largest stock of bees should complete.
The above operation does not so disturb the bees that they will desert the sections. In all this work it is better to be quiet and do the work as quickly as possible. Also do as much of it at about sunset as that late hour will permit.
NECESSITY OF QUEENLESS BEES
Right here will be found the necessity of queenless bees in the apiary. Such colonies must care for the completed queen-cells when removed from the colony that built them until such a time as the cells can be transferred to nuclei or the nursery.
One doing a large queen-rearing business will need several queenless colonies at all times. Not only must queenless bees be used in caring for queen-cells, but for queens confined in the queen nursery.
When the bees are removed from a hive for the purpose of starting more cell-cups, the bees that have just completed a batch of cells may be put on the combs and a queen given them at once, and in a short time, say two weeks, such a colony will be in as good condition as any in the yard.
This thing can go all through the queen-rearing season. Only a few colonies need be made queenless in the beginning, and then no colony will of necessity need be queenless.
I would not advise using one colony for cell-building but once in four weeks. It requires a lot of colonies to rear queens in the above way, but the results are so satisfactory it will be found much the cheapest in the end.
Good queens is the main point in queen-rearing. Never mind about the cost. If the right methods are used in rearing queens, good queens will cost no more than poor ones.
Bee-keepers the world over are interested in the subject of better queens. We all know that queens to supply the demand must be reared by what is called artificial methods. The best methods must be put in practice if the bee-keeping public is to be satisfied. Cheap and inferior queens have had their day, and those who rear the best will get the business and they should have it, too.
FEEDING WHILE QUEEN-REARING IS GOING ON
It should be understood that when queen-rearing is going on and no forage in the fields, feeding must be resorted to; a syrup composed of honey and granulated sugar will answer all right for food. Feeding not only keeps up the excitement, but the interest in the work the bees are doing. Keep up a liberal supply until the cells are capped.