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Monthly Management - January · American Bee Journal

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  Section thirteen of The American Bee Journal, Volume one, number one, January
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  eighteen sixty one. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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  the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot
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  org. Read by Agnes Robert Baer, The American Bee Journal, volume one,
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  number one, January eighteen sixty one, by various monthly management January.
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  At the approach of cold weather, the bee is gradually ceased to labor and
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  retire within their lives, and when winter is fully set in, we find
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  them densely crowded between their combs, in a state of almost entire inaction,
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  yet not really torpid. The queen has long ceased to lay eggs. The
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  last of the roote will generally have emerged before the close of the year,
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  closely packed together to maintain the work degree of warps, and exceedingly abstemious the
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  use of those stores which their providence summer toil enabled them to lay by.
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  They impatiently await the return of milder weather. They seem to have a presentiment,
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  an instinctive feeling of the approach of spring, and long before reviving vegetation
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  indicates its advent. Unmistakable manifestations in the interior of the hive show that the
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  colony is conscious of the coming genial change. Not unfrequently, the queen begins
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  to lay eggs already in January, though this is by no means a desirable
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  occurrence, resulting commonly in detriment to the colony and damage to its owner.
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  Such precocious brooding involves the consumption of stores which may be needed for the support
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  of the colony in the event of protracted unfavorable weather occurring subsequently, and which
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  could be more advantageously employed for the same purpose at a later period. The
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  presence of brood in the combs imposes on the base necessity to occupy permanently that
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  part of the hive in which those combs happen to be. At least they
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  will very reluctantly abandon the brute combs if a spell of severe cold supervene,
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  they may hence perish of hunger, though there be an abundance of honey in
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  other parts of the dwelling to which they cannot readily excess. While the cold
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  weather continues without exposing the brewd to destruction. In common hives, the existing
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  exigency in such cases can rarely be discovered in time to enable the owner to
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  succor the suffering colony. And though as a general rule bee should not be
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  disturbed at this season, yet where movable frames are used, relief can be
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  given. When there is reason to suppose that the bees are in such unfortunate
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  predicament. The hive may be opened and combs were sealed, honey transferred for
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  the sides and placed in close proximity to the cluster, or sticks of sugar
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  candy may be pushed down among the bees between the combs and their wants thus
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  supplied. Such operations, however, should not be undertaken unless there be cost
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  to suspect that they are necessary, or when a mild day enables it to
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  be done as a precautionary measure. Indeed, if such a day occur in
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  midwinter, the opportunity should be availed of to examine especially the weaker stocks,
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  and such as are not amply supplied with stores there once may then be safely
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  ascertained and easily provided for, so as to carry them successfully through the winter.
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  Whatever supplies are given to them should be placed in close proximity to the
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  cluster or immediately above it, that they may be readily accessible in any state
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  of the weather. Besides the sufficiency of stores, adequate warmth is indispensable for
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  the wintering of bees. Straw hives are ordinarily warm enough, but box hives
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  made of thin boards need some additional protection if wintered on their summer stands in
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  the open air. A piece of old carpeting placed on and around them,
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  leaving the entrance free, will generally suffice. Movable comb hives, as commonly
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  made, are sufficiently warm, but they need and should have sufficient upward ventilation
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  to prevent the condensation of moisture against the interior of the sides. More than
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  this might cause a deficiency of moisture, and the bees would suffer for want
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  of water. Mice are prone to enter hives in winter if the entrances are
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  large enough to enable them to do so. Thee should therefore be diminished so
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  as to allow only one or two bees to pass at a time. Cats,
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  likewise, are an annoyance to which bees should not be exposed. They
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  should not be permitted to run upon or gamble between the hives, nor should
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  the direct ways of the sun be allowed to strike the entrances during winter,
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  when the bees ought to enjoy undisturbed repose a slight temporary screen, easily removed
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  on mild days when the temperature permits the bees to fly, or prove highly
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  serviceable, preserving the bees and preventing an inordinate consumption of honey. If a
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  warm day at tempt the bees to fly while the ground is covered with snow,
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  a quantity of loose straw should be scattered in front of the hives to
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  keep the bees from being blinded by the glare and aid them in regaining their
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  homes. If in addition to this, the apiarian has taken the precaution to
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  secure his eyres from being stolen, he will have done all that can properly
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  be required of him during this month. When robbing bees attack a weak colony
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  having a fertile queen, it is advisable to remove it from its stand to
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  a dark chamber or cellar, set an empty hive in its place, strew
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  therein a handful or two of the stems and leaves of warm wood, and
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  rub the front of the hive and bottom board therewith. The assailants will soon
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  forsake the spot and the colony may be replaced on its stand on the evening
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  of the following day. End of Section thirteen. End of the American b
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  Journal, Volume one, n one, January eighteen sixty one, by various