Bee-keeping for profit

In an erratic climate, such as that of Great Britain, bee-keeping includes among its duties that of bee-feeding at certain periods of the year, if profit is to accrue. It must be remembered that shortage of food when the bees are active means an inroad on their stores and a suspension of brood-rearing operations.

This applies most particularly to early spring when successful brood-rearing is absolutely necessary to ensure a profitable issue to the bee-keeper. If, therefore, there is a shortage of food then, the hive will be thrown backward to such an extent that the bees will have no time to gather surplus stores for the bee-keeper's benefit. All their strength will go to supply the necessities of brood-rearing. The honey-flow over, with their store so small that it serves their needs but a short time—for much food is consumed in summer—the bees then begin the pernicious system of robbing other hives, and thereby causing further trouble.

Spring Feeding.—Spring feeding, therefore, may be looked upon as a necessity for the bee-keeper out for profit. It is then that the neglected hive so often succumbs after the community has existed safely through the winter.

I consider that outside feeding is by far the better method in the spring. For one reason it is always risky to disturb the bees by inside feeding early in the year, and there is always the certainty of admitting a draught of cold air to the hive. Another reason in favour of outside feeding is that it induces the bees to take exercise, which is decidedly good for them after the winter seclusion, and also keeps the young bees from wandering in search of food, and thereby running the risk of getting lost.

The food should be placed on a shelf at a good height from the ground, and in a warm situation, well sheltered from cold winds. Protection, too, is necessary for the food; a garden light reared against the house wall answers the purpose admirably. The sun's rays passing through the glass will warm the food and make it more acceptable to the bees. Old honey in the combs is of course the ideal food for bees, but where this is not available artificial food must be resorted to.

Syrup Food.—All artificial syrup food should be made from pure refined cane sugar, which supplies the bees with a substitute as near to the natural food as is possible. Syrup for spring feeding or stimulating should be made as follows:

This mixture must be boiled in a clean enamel saucepan and all scum that rises to the surface carefully removed. Some bee-keepers add a pinch of borax, or some naphtha beta, or other chemicals as preventives against disease, but unless disease be actually rife in the district these additions are totally unnecessary, especially in the spring of the year. Moreover they are liable to spoil the flavour of any surplus honey subsequently gathered by the bees.

It is only necessary to give each hive about one pint of syrup per week, when spring feeding is commenced, but after a few weeks the amount must be gradually increased. The worker bee generally leaves the cell about 21 days after the egg has been deposited by the queen, and as the young bee cannot leave the hive until she is a fortnight old, an increased amount of food is required after each batch of brood is hatched.

Artificial Pollen Food.—Many bee-keepers use artificial pollen in springtime for stimulating purposes. This consists of finely ground pea or oat meal, and is sprinkled among dry shavings or chaff in a box. A good method of attracting bees to such supplies is to place the pollen, etc., in an old skep hive which retains some propolis, or to place an old quilt in the box. In any case this food supply must be kept in a sheltered spot as directed on page 83.

Water.—A plentiful supply of clean water should be placed in the food shelter, for the bees use large quantities in the brood-rearing operations. In each gallon of water 2 oz. of table salt should be dissolved. The water should be placed in a glass jar which should be covered with a saucer and then inverted. Should the saucer be deep, some small pieces of wood or spent tea leaves should be placed in it to form alighting places for the bees. Another method of supplying water is to allow it to drip from a small barrel on to a sloping board.

When to Stop Spring Feeding.—Artificial feeding must be stopped as soon as the bees are able to collect their natural supplies of nectar and pollen. This is usually about the time when the sycamore blooms, but in districts where crocuses or willows are plentiful it will be earlier.

Autumn Feeding.—It is when the honey-flow is ended, and there is no more natural nectar available for the bees, that feeding must again be resorted to if the bees are to be saved through the winter. The old method of allowing the bees to fend for themselves and stand the risk of starvation in the winter is now looked upon not only as unnecessarily cruel but absolutely wasteful. The slight cost of feeding them is amply repaid by the strength of the stock when spring once more arrives.

When the bee-keepers are working up an apiary from swarms, or driven bees, autumn feeding is essential, for it is very seldom that late swarms or driven bees are capable of securing sufficient winter stores without the assistance of the bee-keeper.

Food given in autumn should contain less water than that given in the spring. The reason for this needs but slight consideration. In springtime when the days become increasingly warmer, and the temperature of the hive increases with the growth of the population, the bees need thinner food. The increasing heat of the hive would ripen thick nectar or syrup too quickly and give the bees extra work in collecting water with which to thin the food for the brood. In autumn, however, the tendency is to a falling temperature, and, though brood may be reared, the temperature of the external atmosphere will keep that in the hive down to the normal.

Syrup for autumn feeding made according to the following formula will be found to meet all requirements:—

When feeding bees for the winter all supers of frames should be removed from the hives, otherwise the bees are liable to form two clusters, and it is generally the case in such an event that one of these falls a prey to cold when severe weather comes. The supers above the brood-chambers should be removed before feeding is commenced. If one is placed under the brood-chamber to give additional air-space the frames must be removed therefrom.

Winter Feeding.—If in winter the bees should be short of food, a cake of candy may be put in the hive, placing it on pieces of wood resting on the frames. The candy may be made in various ways. If some is required at short notice it may be obtained by mixing some castor sugar with a little thin honey into a stiff paste. If time will allow of the honey being heated so much the better, for the candy will then keep in good condition for some time.

A candy used by many bee-keepers for winter feeding is made by boiling 5 lb. of cane sugar in a quart of water for about 15 or 20 minutes. After the sugar has dissolved and the scum has been removed, the mixture should be allowed to boil briskly without stirring.

In order to ascertain when it has boiled sufficiently, a little should be taken in a spoon and dropped into a cup of cold water. Should it form into a soft ball on the bottom of the cup it is ready for "dishing up"; if it mixes with the water, the boiling must be continued. It should be poured from the saucepan into a tin or enamelled pan to cool. As soon as it is cool enough for one to bear one's finger in it, it should be stirred until it is resolved into a stiff paste. The stirring breaks up the coarse grains of sugar and thereby makes the candy more acceptable to the bees.

Should the mixture, on testing, prove brittle or stringy it is evidence of over-boiling, and more water must be added until it boils to the proper consistency.

A little honey may be added with advantage after the mixture has been removed from the fire—but not before, or the whole will boil over and be wasted. The honey will often prevent the candy from becoming too hard to be of use to the bees.

When Bees Refuse Food.—There are times when the bees will refuse to avail themselves of food, and when such is the case it is certain that there is a reason for it. The bee-keeper should try to ascertain what this may be without unnecessarily disturbing the bees and provided that the weather is suitable to an examination of the hive.

Starvation is often a cause of bees declining the food, or, rather, not availing themselves of it. Hives that have been purchased may be so short of food that the bees are too weak, to exert themselves to get to the food supplied. In such cases the application of a little heat to the hive will generally work, wonders. It may be done by warming some common bricks and placing them on the quilt, after closing the entrance to the hive. Care must be taken that the bricks are not too hot or the combs will be melted. Such a proceeding will sometimes revive bees that are practically dying from starvation, so that they will take full advantage of any food that is offered to them. This remedy may be applied in spring to moribund hives.

Fermenting or Granulated food in the combs are other causes of the bees declining to take other food. The first condition is usually brought about through excessive moisture in or around the hive. Honey that is gathered in late autumn, or syrup that is supplied to the bees, may not become sufficiently ripe in the cells to be sealed by the bees, and fermentation ensues.

Old Honey Stores.—If when examining the hives in spring it should be found that there is any considerable quantity of dark coloured honey left over from their winter store it is advisable to persuade the bees to use it for brood-rearing. The cells in such combs should be uncapped and placed near the centre of the brood-nest. All old stores should thus be used up if possible, otherwise they may spoil the colour and flavour of the new honey.

Should anything be the matter with the hive or bees, try to rectify it; but, if the case be hopeless, burn or otherwise destroy the whole rather than run any risk of contamination to other bees from disease.