MillerThousand AnswersBeekeepingQuestions.pdf - BioBees

THOUSAND ANSWERS 17seems to be old bees. They turn black, and are driven out. Thebrood seems to b.e all right. I had one colony affected the sameway last year that became all right. I would like to know thecause and cure, if any. I have over 100 colonies, but never sawanything like it before.A. The probability is that it is a case of bee-paralysis. Thebees are black and shiny from losing their plumage. They comeout of the hive and jump around on the ground, generally withbodies somewhat distended, and there is a peculiar trembling motionof the wings. The sound bees appear to pester and drivethe sick ones. As far north as you are, it is doubtful if you needpay any attention to it. I've had several cases of the disease, andnever did anything for it and the disease disappeared of itself.Far enough south it becomes a terror, and although many cureshave been offered they generally fail to effect a cure. O. O. Poppletonsays he cures by sprinkling sulphur over the bees andcomb. Texas beekeepers of late claim that excessive dampnessin the hive is the prime cause. They practice shaking the beesonto perfectly dry combs in a dry hive.Q .Will camphor prevent bee-paralysis if I put a small piecein the hive?A. It will probably have no effect whatever.Bees, Best Strain.—Q. What is the best bee for this country,the Buckeye strain, 3-banded, golden Italian or leather colored?A. There are good bees of almost all kinds; the majority ofbeekeepers probably prefer the 3-barided leather colored Italians.Bees Dying.—Q. What ails my bees? Quite a number of themOne day when the snow was on the ground Iare dead or dying.saw dead bees on the snow. While I was there a bee came flyingout of the hive, lit on the snow and was frozen; it was zeroweather. I have a box set oveir the hive; the front side is open.They are not packed. The entrance of the hive is wide open, andthey have plenty of honey to winter on, with nothing to disturbthem. They are Italian bees.A. There may be nothing wrong at all; depends upon whatis meant by "quite a number." In a strong colony it is nothingstrange if a thousand bees die off in the course of the winter;and when the sun is shining upon the white snow it is not alarmingto see a bee fly out to meet its death in the snow.Q. What is the cause of a colony of bees dying in the winterwith plenty of honey in the hive? It seemed to be in good shapewhen it went into winter quarters.A. It may be that the cluster of bees was in the center with