MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

146 DR. miller'scolony start work in a section that will not begin on abait, thereis no such way. You may force them to go into the super by puttingsome brood in it, but that will not force them to store thereif there is plenty of room to store in the brood-chamber.Legs of Bees. — Q. I think I have something new this season.My bees have great long thongs dangling about their feet, andwhen they alight these thongs lie on the alighting-board to oneside of the bees' feet.They are about one-eighth of an inch long,and just as red as can be. What are those false thongs on mybees' feet? Are they natural or not?A. I think what you call "false thongs" must be the pollenmasses from milkweed. In some cases it gets so bad that the beescan hardly climb upon the combs, and I have seen the other beesdrive them out of the hive. Sometimes the bees are fastened uponthe blossoms, not being able to tear away, and if you examine themilkweed blossoms in your vicinity you may find some dead beesupon them. But these plants are good honey-plants, and perhapsin this way pay for the injury done to the bees.Leaves for Cushions. — Q. Are dry forest leaves as good asanything for the absorbent cushion?A. Nothing could be much better, unless it be cork chips.Lemon Juice. — Q. One man says to put lemon juice in sugarsyrup and it is as good as honey for the bees. What do you thinkof it?A. It would be better witliout the lemon juice, unless it bejust enough to keep the syrup from granulating.Lettering in Comb Honey. — Q. How is the lettering or spellingin raised letters on comb honey done? Please explain.A. I know little about it practically. Usually this is done byinserting in the section or comb the letters in wood, then placethese over a very strong colony to draw out and seal.Lice. — Q. There is a spider-like insect that clings to the backsof my bees, in some cases covering the fore part of queens allover; of a reddish color, about the size of a pinhead. Is this theItalian bee-louse? It makes no difference whether the colony isstrong or weak. Is there any way of getting rid of these? Thetemperature gets very high here in summer, ^^'ould the heatbreed these things? (British Columbia.)A. Yes, it may be braula coeca, or the blind louse, althoughI don't remember to have heard of such a case this side of theocean. It is said smoking with tobacco will make the louse looseits hold. Fortunately, it is not so very dangerous. Please senda sample to Dr. E. F. Phillips, Washington, D. C.