Chapter 34

FEEDING.

SHOULD BE A LAST RESORT.

Feeding bees in spring is sometimes absolutely necessary; but in ordinary seasons and circumstances, it is somewhat doubtful if it is the surest road to success, for the apiarian to attempt wintering any stock so poorly supplied with honey, that he feels satisfied will need feeding in the spring or before. I will recommend in another place (in fall management) what I consider a better disposition of such light families. But as some stocks are either robbed, or from some other cause, consume more honey than we expect, a little trouble and care may save a loss. Also bees are often fed at this season to promote early swarming, and filling boxes with surplus honey.

CARE NEEDED.

Considerable care is requisite, and but few know how to manage it properly. Honey fed to bees, is almost certain to get up quarrels among them. Sometimes strong stocks scent the honey given to weak ones, and carry it off as fast as supplied.

APPARENT CONTRADICTION WHEN FEEDING CAUSING STARVATION.

It is possible that feeding a stock of bees in spring, may cause them to starve! whereas, if let alone, they might escape. Notwithstanding this looks like a contradiction, I think it appears reasonable. Whenever the supply of honey is short, probably not more than one egg in twenty which the queen deposits, will be matured--their means not allowing the young brood to be fed. This appears from the fact that several eggs may be found in one cell. I transferred over twenty stocks in March, 1852--most of the cells occupied with eggs contained a plurality; two, three, and even four, were found in one cell; it is evident that all could not be perfected. Also, the fact of these eggs being at this season on the bottom-board. Now suppose you give such a stock two or three pounds of honey, and they are encouraged to feed a large brood, and your supply fails before they are half grown. What are they to do? destroy the brood and lose all they have fed, or draw on their old stores for a small quantity to help them in this emergency, and trust to chance for themselves? The latter alternative will probably be adopted, and then, without a timely intervention of favorable weather, the bees starve. The same effect is sometimes produced by the changes of the weather; a week or two may be very fine and bring out the flowers in abundance--a sudden change, perhaps frost, may destroy all for a few days. This makes it necessary to use considerable vigilance, as these turns of cold weather (when they occur) make it unsafe, till white clover appears; but if the spring is favorable, there is but little danger, unless they are robbed. If you take the necessary care about worms, you will know which are light, and which heavy, unless your hives are suspended; even then, it is a duty to know their true condition, in this respect. This is another advantage of the _simple_ hive; merely raising one edge to destroy worms, tells you something about the honey on hand. To be very exact, the hive should be weighed when ready for the bees, and the weight marked on it; by weighing at any time after, tells at once within a few pounds of what honey there is on hand. Some allowance must be made for the age of the combs, the quantity of brood, &c. It is wrong to begin to feed without being prepared to continue to do so, as the supply must be kept up till honey is abundant.

HOW LONG IT WILL DO TO WAIT BEFORE FEEDING.

If it is wished to wait as long as possible, and not lose the bees, a test will be necessary to decide how long it will do to delay feeding. In this case, _strict attention will be necessary; they will need examination every morning_. If a light tap on the hive is answered b; a brisk, lively buzzing, they are not suffering yet; but if no answer is returned to your inquiry, it indicates a want of strength. Extreme destitution destroys all disposition to repel an attack. Sometimes a part of the bees will be too weak to remain among the combs, and will be lying on the bottom, and some few outside. If the weather is cool, they appear to be lifeless; yet they can be revived, and now _must he fed_.

DIRECTIONS FOR FEEDING.

Those among the combs may be able to move, though feebly. When this is the condition of things, invert the hive, gather up all the scattered bees, and put them in. Get some honey; if candied, heat it till it dissolves; comb honey is not so good without mashing; if no honey is to be had, brown sugar may be taken instead; add a little water, and boil it till about the consistence of honey, and skim it; when cool enough, pour a quantity among the combs, directly on the bees; cover the bottom of the hive with a cloth, securing it firmly, and bring to the fire to warm up. In two or three hours they will be revived, and may be returned to the stand, providing the honey given is all taken up; on no account let any honey run out around the bottom. The necessity of a daily visit to the hives is apparent from the fact, that if left over for one day, in the situation just described, it will be too late to revive them. At night, if you have a box cover, such as I have recommended, you may open the holes in the top of the hive; fill a small baking dish with honey or syrup, and set it on the top; put in some shavings to keep the bees from drowning, or a float may be used if you choose; it should be made of some very light wood, very thin, and full of holes or narrow channels, made with a saw. At the commencement of feeding, a few drops should be scattered on the top of the hive and trailed to the side of the dish, to teach them the way; after feeding a few times, they will know the road. When the weather is warm enough for them to take it during the night, it is best to feed at evening,--from four to eight ounces daily, is sufficient. If the family is very small, what honey is left in the morning may attract other bees; it is then best to take it out, or carry the hive in the house to a dark room, sufficiently warm, and feed them enough to last several days, and then return them to the stand; keeping a good lookout that they are not plundered, and again in a starving condition, until flowers produce honey sufficient.

WHOLE FAMILIES MAY DESERT THE HIVE.

When you have the means to keep up a supply of food, and time requisite to make feeding secure, perhaps it would not be advisable to wait till the last extremity before feeding, as a small family will sometimes entirely desert the hive, when destitute, if it occurs before they have much brood. In these cases, they issue precisely as a swarm; after flying a long time, they either return, or unite with some other stock. If they return, they need attention immediately. You may be certain there is something wrong, let the desertion take place when it may; in spring it may be destitution, or mouldy combs; at other times the presence of worms, diseased brood, &c. By whatever cause it is produced, ascertain it, and apply the remedy.

OBJECTIONS TO GENERAL FEEDING.

I have known it recommended, and practised by some apiarians, to feed bees all at once in the open air, in a large trough; but whoever realizes much profit by this method, will be very fortunate, as every stock in the neighborhood will soon scent it out, and carry off a good share, and nearly every stock at home will be in contention, and great numbers killed; the moment the honey is out, their attention is directed to other stocks. Another objection to this general feeding is, that some stocks are not necessitated at all, while others need it; but the strongest stock is pretty sure to get the most. NOW, as I cannot afford to divide with my neighbors in this way of feeding, and I suppose but few will be found who are willing to do it, I will give my method, which, when once arranged, is but little trouble.

ARRANGEMENT FOR FEEDING.

I got a tinman to make some dishes, two inches deep, 10×12 inches square, and perpendicular sides. A board was then got out, fifteen inches wide, and two feet long; two inches from one end, a hole is cut out the longest way, just the size of the dish, so that it will set in just even with the upper side of the board; a good fit should be made, so that no bees can get in around it; cleats should be nailed on the under side of the board, some over an inch thick, to prevent crowding the dish out. This is to go directly under the hive, but it is not ready yet, because if such dish is filled with honey under a hive, the bees would drown; if a float is put on to keep them out, it will settle to the bottom when the honey is out, and the bees cannot creep up the sides of tin very easily. Another thing, there is nothing to prevent the bees from making their combs to the bottom of this dish, two inches below the bottom of the hive; these things are to be prevented. Get out two pieces of half-inch board, ten inches long, one to be two inches wide, the other one and a half inches. With a coarse or thick saw, cut channels in the side of the strips, one-fourth inch deep, three-eighths or half an inch apart, crosswise the whole length. You will then want a number corresponding to the places sawed, of very thin shingles, or strips, say one-eighth of an inch thick, and one and three-fourths wide, and nine and a half long; these are to stand edgewise in the dish; the first two are to hold them in the channels at the ends. The narrow one needs a block one-half inch square, nailed on each end; on the edge, a strip of wire cloth is then nailed on, making the whole width just two inches. This is now put in the dish, wire cloth at the bottom, two inches from one end; two pins to act as braces will keep it there; the other wide one is placed against the other end, and pressed down even with the top of the dish. The thin pieces are now slipped into the channels even with the top; it is now ready to go under the hive to be fed. Let the two-inch space project out on the back side of the hive. A narrow board should be provided, some more than two inches wide, to cover it. Let the hive stand close on this board; the hole in the side is sufficient for the passage of bees at work, till very hot weather. Thus you see that the hive covers all but the space behind, which the board covers, and not a strange bee can get at the honey, without entering the hole at the side, and passing through among the bees belonging to the hive, which they will not often do; if the family is numerous, it makes it as safe as feeding on the top; with this advantage, there are no bees in the way to interfere while pouring in the food. When the bees are to be fed, raise the board at the back and pour in the honey; the wire-cloth in the bottom prevents all bees from entering this space, at the same time will let the honey pass through directly under the bees, which will take it up quicker than from any other place that I can put it; they will work all night even when the weather is quite cool. This board and feeder can be taken out when done feeding, and put away till wanted again; if left under through the summer, it affords the worms a place rather too convenient to spin their cocoons, where they are not easily destroyed.

FEEDING TO INDUCE EARLY SWARMS.

If the object in feeding is to induce early swarms, of course the best stocks should be chosen for the purpose; but some care is necessary not to give too much, and fill the combs with honey, that ought to be filled with brood, and thereby defeat your object; one pound per day is enough, perhaps too much. The quantity obtained from flowers is a partial guide; when plenty, feed less; when scarce, more. Begin as soon as you can make them take it up in spring, and continue in accordance with the weather, till white clover blossoms, or swarms issue. Another object in feeding bees at this period, is to have the store combs all filled with inferior honey, so that when clover appears, (which yields our best honey,) there is no room except in the boxes to store it, which are now put on, and rapidly filled. When this last object is alone wished for, it is not much matter how much is given at a time, providing it is all taken up through the night; it will then take no time in day-light, when they might work on flowers; also, the bees would have no trouble in repelling any attempt of others to get at it.

WHAT MAY BE FED.

Inferior honey may be used for this purpose; Southern or West India is good, and costs but little. Even molasses sugar mixed with it will do; but they do not relish it so well when fed without the honey. I have usually taken about equal quantities of each, adding a pint of water to ten pounds of this mixture, and making it as hot as it will bear without boiling over, and skimming it.

IS CANDIED HONEY INJURIOUS?

There has an idea been advanced, that candied honey is injurious to bees, even said to be fatal. I never could discover any thing further, than it was a perfect waste, while in this state. When boiled, and a little water added, it appears to be just as good as any. Nearly every stock will have more or less of it on hand at this season; but as warm weather approaches, and the bees increase to warm the hive, it seems to get liquified, from this cause alone. The bees, when compelled to use honey from these cells, thus candied, waste a large portion; a part is liquid, and the rest is grained like sugar, which may be seen on the bottom-board, as the bees work it out very often. Another object in feeding bees, is to give inferior honey, mixed with sugar and flavored to suit the taste, to the bees, and let them store it in boxes for market. Now, I have no faith in honey undergoing any chemical change in the stomach of the bee,[14] and cannot recommend this as the honest course. Neither do I think it would be very profitable, feeding to this extent, under any circumstances. I have a few times had some boxes nearly finished and fit for market at the end of the honey season; a little more added would make them answer. I have then fed a few pounds of good honey, but always found that several pounds had to be given the bees to get one in the boxes.

[14] Mr. Gillman's patent for feeding bees, is based on the principle of a chemical change. It is said that the food he gives to the bees, when poured into the cells, becomes honey of the first quality. This appears extremely mysterious; for it is well understood that when a bee has filled its sack it will go to the hive, deposit its load, and return immediately for more; and will continue its labor throughout the day, or until the supply fails; each load occupying but few minutes. The time in going from the feeder to the hive is so short that a change so important is not at all probable. The nature of bees seems to be to _collect_ honey, not _make_ it; hence we find, when bees are gathering from clover, they store quite a different article than when from buckwheat,--or when we feed West India honey, in quantities sufficient to have it stored _pure_ in the boxes, we find that it has lost none of its bad taste in passing through the sacks of our northern bees.

It appears most probable that, if Southern honey and cheap sugar form the basis of his food, (which it is said to,) that it is flavored with something to disguise the disagreeable qualities of the compound. Should this be the secret, it would seem like a waste to feed it to bees--a portion would be given to the brood, and possibly the old bees might not always refrain from sipping a little of the tempting nectar. Why not, when the compound was ready,--instead of wasting it by this process,--put it directly in market? Or, is it necessary to have it in the combs to help psychologize the consumer into the belief that it is honey of a pure quality?