The honey-bee: its nature, homes and products

The honey-bee differs from nearly all the wild varieties, as well as from hornets and wasps, in being adapted to live always in societies. Most other insects of the hymenopterous order become torpid in winter, or perish, with the exception of some queens, who survive to continue the race. Those which really hybernate are able to endure a considerable degree of cold; and, thawing under the influence of warmth, they can resume the functions of life. It is not so, however, with bees. Queens alone would be quite unable to continue the race, as they could neither build comb, nor supply food to the larvæ, nor keep up the heat required for the development of the young. For all these purposes, workers in considerable numbers are necessary. But this very concourse implies the production of heat by respiration; and, as a matter of fact, we find that all through the coldest weather of winter a temperature of over 60° Fahr. is maintained in the hive. As a result of this, bees do not really hybernate, or even become dormant. When cold is very intense, they maintain a constant tremulous motion, as if they knew that the expenditure of muscular fibre would, by the consequent oxygenation, cause the evolution of heat; or, as if cognisant of the most modern theories of "heat as a mode of motion," they were aware that the very flapping of their wings would tend to raise the temperature of their dwelling.

A bee is chilled by a less degree of warmth than 50° Fahr.; and if actually frozen, or exposed to cold at or near the freezing point of water, it cannot be revived. These facts have a very important bearing on the art of apiculture. For, in the first place, it may easily be understood that, if bees are tempted abroad by sunshine in winter, or when a bitter wind is blowing, they may perish by hundreds, through becoming torpid with cold while resting a few minutes in some shade, or by being chilled in the ungenial air. For this reason it is advisable to shelter hives from the mid-day and afternoon sun, as the danger just alluded to increases with the lateness of the hour at which the bees may be enticed abroad by the sunshine.

Then, secondly, it must be remembered that, as the bees are animate all through the winter, a constant consumption of stores is going on, and that disastrous consequences may ensue from mistaken notions as to their remaining torpid, and needing no more food than do hybernating dormice or polar bears.

Thirdly, as an easy deduction from the foregoing facts, everything which stirs the bees to activity, such as supplying fresh food, or disturbing the hives for any other purpose, means an increased consumption of nutriment, proportional to the activity aroused.

Fourthly, any general excitement in cold weather, leading to the wandering of individuals from the cluster, entails the risk of their being chilled, and rendered so inactive as not to be able to return to the warmest part of the hive, and consequently perishing.

These facts further suggest the importance of taking measures to prevent, as far as possible, the escape of warmth from the hive. Various precautions are adopted for this purpose. The straw skep is, in itself, a bad conductor of heat, and if made thick and strong, will usually enable the bees to maintain a sufficiently high temperature. Still, in excessively cold seasons, it is advisable to wrap straw hives round with matting, sacking, or some other material, in order still further to guard against chilling.

With bar-frame hives several points should be attended to. In the first place, it is a great advantage to have their walls double, with an air-space between them. It is even better to fill this space with cork-dust, saw-dust, bran, or chaff, to prevent any circulation of air between the outer and inner walls.

Then, it is important to remove empty combs at the beginning of the cold season, and to confine the bees in as small a space as possible, so that their number, constantly diminishing in winter, may suffice to keep up the necessary temperature.

Again, it is of some moment to see that there are no considerable apertures in the coverings of the frames, or in the corners of the hive, by which a current of warm air out of, and cold air into, the hive may be set up.

Once more, if cushions of chaff be placed behind the frames, to fill up some of the empty parts of the hive, an additional security will be furnished against the lowering of the temperature.

In order still further to prevent separation from the cluster, and unnecessary activity, the most skilled apiarians recommend that, in autumn, holes should be made through the combs, near their tops, to serve as passages from one to another, as they are emptied of honey, without the necessity of the bees going down to the bottoms of the combs, in order to reach the other sides or different combs.

Another point of great importance in wintering bees, is the prevention of the moisture, produced by their breathing, from condensing in the hive. It should either be allowed to escape by upward ventilation, as strongly recommended by Langstroth, or by laying over the frames of wooden hives a porous material, which at the same time prevents the escape of heat. Light matting, covered with thicknesses of house-flannel or old blanketing, will answer the purpose very well. The constant evaporation from the upper surface will prevent dampness to any serious degree in the lower thicknesses of material. For ourselves, we prefer the method which most effectually prevents the escape of heat, while also securing that vapour shall not be unduly condensed.

The question of ventilation, especially in winter, is still under debate. It is alleged, on the one hand, that it must be of advantage to get rid of all products of respiration, and that this can only be done effectually, by leaving a passage for the air supposed to be vitiated by the breathing of the bees. On the other hand, it is asserted, and the fact is incontrovertible, that the insects themselves most sedulously stop every crack and cranny, above all, in the tops of their hives; and seem to strive, by all means in their power, to prevent the escape of air, which would carry away warmth. The argument is that their natural instinct is certain to be right that it can only have arisen, or been bestowed, for the benefit of the bees. We must acknowledge there is great force in this reasoning; and we prefer, therefore, to secure both the theoretical point relating to sufficient ventilation, and the practical recognition of the preference of the bees for complete coverings, by using the materials we have recommended above, leaving no apertures for the direct escape of air and warmth at the top of the hives.

The German apiarians lay considerable stress on the necessity of supplying the stocks with water so long as any breeding is going on. Von Berlepsch and G. Eberhardt, in an article in the Bienenzeitung, write as follows: "The Creator has given the bee an instinct to store up honey and pollen, which are not always to be procured, but not water, which is always accessible in her native regions. In northern latitudes, when confined to the hive, often for months together, they can obtain the water they need only from the watery particles contained in the honey, the perspiration which condenses on the colder parts of the hive, or the humidity of the air which enters their hives.

"Vital energy in the bee is at its lowest point in November and December. If, at this time, an unusual degree of cold does not force her to resort to muscular action, she remains almost motionless, a deathlike silence prevailing in the hive; and we know by actual experiment, that much less food is consumed than at any other time. Breeding having ceased, the weather-bound bees have no demands made on their vital action, and we have never known them at this time suffer from want of water. As soon, however, as the queen begins to lay, which occurs in many colonies early in January, and in some by Christmas, the workers must eat more freely, both of honey and pollen, to supply jelly for the larvæ, and wax for sealing their cells. Much more water is needed for these purposes than when they can procure the fresh nectar of flowers, and the want of it begins to be felt about the middle of January. The unmistakable signs of the dearth of water in a colony, are found in the granules of candied honey on the bottom of the hive." These authors go on further to say: "After protracted and severe winters, of every six bees that perish, five die for want of water, and not, as was hitherto supposed, from undue accumulation of fæces. Dysentery is one of the direct consequences of water-dearth, the bees in dire need of water consuming honey immoderately, and taking cold by roaming about the combs."

In our climate there is, usually, throughout the winter such an abundance of moisture in the air, that the point of complete saturation is often reached, and, except in very exceptional seasons, there will be little need to supply water to the hive before March. As a precautionary measure, however, we see no reason why some may not be given earlier, if great care is taken against its escape among the combs. For safety on this point, it would be best to give it in shallow troughs or pans at the bottom of the hive.