MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

THOUSAND ANSWERS 273cession fit to take them out. Indeed, the two good days may beseveral days apart. Possibly one reason for the difference liesin the condition of the bees. The night before mine are takenout, doors and windows are open to the widest, and all night longthey have fresh air. So, when they are taken out. they do not feelthe change of air, and often they do not fly out of the hive at allfor some minutes after being put on the stands. If taken out ofthe close air of the cellar when they are uneasy, they may get soexcited that they will swarm out.A big rag made very wet is one of the best things to layagainst the entrance when you want to keep bees in temporarily,but I doubt that it would help any in the case under consideration.I would rather have the bees so quiet that there is no needto fasten them in. Try giving them a tremendous airing thenight before taking out. Contract the entrance immediately onsetting the hive on its stand.Wintering Out-of-Doors.—Q. How is this for wintering bees ;In the late fall, after the honey-flow is over, place a piece of burlapover the brood-frames and place a super filled with dry leaveson top of that? (Tennessee.)A. For your locality it would be hard to find anything better.Q. What is the best plan to adopt in an effort to winter beeson the summer stands?A. I would rather trust a single-walled hive in a protectedplace, sheltered by buildings or trees, than a double-walled hivefully exposed to the sweep of winds. If no other protection is athand, go back to that of our grandfathers. Make a shed, underwhich the hives stand in a row, only a little higher than the hives,closed on all sides but the side of the entrances, and then packstraw in all the vacant space inside the shed. Even cornstalkspiled about a hive, wigwam shape, produced quite good resultswith one man not five miles from us.Some have an outer case allowing a packing of leaves, planershavings or other loose material about the hive to the extent ofthree or four inches on all sides and probably six inches on top.Others omit the packing-case and hold leaves in place by a frameof coarse netting.Q. On account of my apiary being some distance from my cellar,I am thinking strongly of wintering outdoors. My bottomboardsare reversible with the deep side two inches. My hivesare 10-frame dovetailed, (a) Should I use the deep side for winter?(b) How much of the entrance should be closed?