MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

274 DR. miller's(c) Would it be safe to wrap the hives with extra heavy .tarred felt, with no other protection? (Wisconsin.)A. (a) Yes. (b) The equivalent of two or three square incheswill probably do well where you are, the latter for a very strongcolony.(c) Probably, but something depends upon the exposure of thesituation. If exposed to the full force of the winds, it will be hardtc wrap the hive warm enough, but in a situation well shelteredfrom the winds there will be little trouble.Q. Do those who winter bees on the summer stands need toscrape out the dead bees?A. It is better, of course, to have the dead bees cleaned out.With the usual shallow entrance, and shallow space under bottom-bars,it may be absolutely necessary; for the entrance, otherwise,may become entirely clogged with dead bees. With a deeperspace under the bottom-bars, and entrance at the upper part ofthe space, cleaning out the dead bees is not so important.Wintering on Super-Combs.—Q. (a) I ran short of beehivesand have about five swarms which I hived in shallow supers usedfor extracted honey. They have ten shallow frames. I wish toknow what you would do with them, unite them with otherswarms, or let them winter in these supers, and in the spring putthem in the regular hive?(b) How would you go about it to put them in the regular 10-frame hive?A. (a) Unless they are weak and you want to unite them withother weaklings, better let them winter as they are.(b) In the spring set the shallow story over the regular hive,which should have frames filled with foundation. When broodappears in the lower story, put a queen-excluder between the twostories, making sure that the queen is in the lower story. Eightor ten days later kill any queen-cells that may be in the upperstory.Wintering in Two-Story Hives.—Q. A Tennessee beekeeperwrites that he wintered most of his 180 colonies in two-story hivesand he never had such strong colonies; some had IS brood-frames.Why wouldn't that be the best way to do every winter?A. With very strong colonies the plan is excellent.Wiring Frames.—Q. Is it necessary to wire shallow extracting-frameswhen medium brood foundation is used?A. Hardly, especially if care be taken at the first extracting.