Changing Old Stocks to New Hives
We frequently find that the possessor of a stock of bees in a cottager’s common straw hive is desirous of removing the whole stock of bees and comb into one of our improved hives, in which the honey may be obtained without the destruction of the bees. We mostly discourage such a transfer, attended as it is with much labour, and requiring a considerable amount of apiarian skill. An old-fashioned hive may very readily be rendered a humane one, simply by cutting out with a sharp-pointed knife the middle of the top of the hive; a piece may thus easily be taken out, so as to leave a round hole two or three inches in diameter, but care must be taken that the knife does not penetrate much below the straw, lest it reach the comb or the bees—and it will be safer for the operator to have a bee-dress on. There should be ready a round adapting-board, with a corresponding hole, which may be secured on the top by putting four long nails through the same number of holes in the board; then a cap-hive or a glass may be placed on the top, for the purpose of admitting the bees, who will soon crowd therein to work.
This hive or glass will form a super or depriving-hive, and can be worked as profitably as most of the improved hives. For the sake of an improved appearance, an outside case, either of zinc, straw, or wood, may be dropped over all, and then, if well painted, the whole will form no disfigurement to any flower-garden.
This is, beyond doubt, the easiest way of overcoming the difficulty, but as it may not satisfy all, we now proceed to describe how a complete transfer may be made. No hive offers such facilities for the correct placing of the combs in a perfectly upright position as does the bar-and-frame hive. As before remarked, we should be slow to recommend any one to attempt the operation who is not already pretty well accustomed to the handling of bees and acquainted with their habits; but by carefully carrying out the following directions any one may successfully perform the feat. The first thing is to get the bees away from the combs: there are two ways of doing this,—one is by fumigation (see page 145), the other by driving (see page 179). Whichever plan may be resorted to, have the bees confined in the old hive on their stand until you are quite ready to admit them into the bar-and-frame hive. Have in readiness all the necessary appliances. These consist of a large knife for cutting the hive, a good-sized table on which to lay the brood-combs, a basin of water—for washing off honey which may besmear the hands,—tape or cotton string to fasten the combs in their frames, a pair of honey-cutters for cutting out the combs, jars to hold the honey that runs out, and a feather for brushing off any bees that may remain. It is necessary that the operator should have on his bee-dress and india-rubber gloves. Then begin by slicing off a piece of the hive with a sharp table-knife; carefully cut out the working combs—cut them large, so that they will squeeze into the frames; and, to be more secure, wind some of the tape round to keep them in position until made fast by the bees. After a few days, these fastenings may be removed. Care should be taken that the combs occupy, the same position in the frames as in the hive from which they were extracted. Having thus prepared the hive, the bees may be let into it, in the manner Mr. Woodbury recommends for a swarm (see page 159). It may be as well to keep them confined a few hours, giving them water at the top, until they make the combs secure; the new hive will then be less likely to offer an attraction to bees from other hives, who, if feloniously inclined, might come to rob. This transfer should be made when the weather is such that the bees can fly about: when not warm enough, it should be done in a room at a temperature of about 70 degrees. An expert apiarian could perform the operation in less than three quarters of an hour, and with little loss. A week or so after a swarm has left the old stock is perhaps the very best time for such a removal. Should the operation be performed in the open air, the bees from surrounding hives will be sure to come in great numbers to obtain a share of the honey necessarily exposed, for they delight in plunder. In order, therefore, to avoid annoyance to the operator, and the excitement which is certain to be induced in surrounding hives, it is better to conduct the dissection in some building with closed doors. In some instances a routing of this kind has a beneficial effect; old stocks of hives that have previously appeared to be dwindling are often aroused to activity by their removal into a fresh domicile.