Hive

“ Let us go on, then, with the story of our hive; let us take it up where we left it; and raise, as high as we may, a fold of the festooned curtain in whose midst a strange sweat, white as snow and airier than the down of a wing, is beginning to break over the swarm. For the wax that is now being born is not like the wax that we know; it is immaculate, it has no weight; seeming truly to be the soul of the honey, that itself is the spirit of flowers. ”

“ Any sudden or clumsy movement, which jars the combs or frames, will excite the bees, and if but one should be crushed, the odour of their slaughtered comrade rouses the inhabitants of the hive to a pitch of exasperation. ”

“ I love to tell it again and again. I saw it all afresh to-day.
The sun plays tricks with the earth at high noon. One feels superbly well—a kind of seething in the veins. It pulls him away from the great quest for the Father's House, in gusts of Mother Nature's magic. All the fragrance of fallow fields is in the hot light and blowing hay and deathless azure and high noon. Glorious swarms of bees were breaking out from the Spirit of the hive, all one in Spirit at the top—the Spirit brooding at all times over all the workings of the hive.... ”

“ How then, she had asked herself, did one know one thing or another thing about people, sealed as they were? Only like a bee, drawn by some sweetness or sharpness in the air intangible to touch or taste, one haunted the dome-shaped hive, ranged the wastes of the air over the countries of the world alone, and then haunted the hives with their murmurs and their stirrings; the hives, which were people. ”

“ The fresh bees in the upper hive, attracted by the scent of the bees besmeared with honey, go down and commence licking off the sweets from the sleepy ones. The latter gradually revive, when all get mingled together and ascend in company to the upper hive, where they live as if they had not been separate families. ”

“ The nectar is now honey. Bee to bee, it is transferred, speaking all Hive Mysteries from and to each mouth. By the same mouth that first ingathered, is the honey spent, the secret Alchemy within the Centers turning SilverGold.
The Hive now lives, immortal. With queen and workers, drones and builder-bees, soldiers, foster-mothers - all are one. In constant life-renewal, the Hive breathes as One Being - for so indeed it is. In the Will of the Hive is the Will of the Bee fulfilled. Each in its appointed place, the Bees work out their Will in ordered harmony. ”

“ The front was covered, to a depth of an inch or more, three-quarters of the way up, and from the ledge before the entrance hung a huge inverted cone of bees, clinging firmly together. The hive was about to swarm. It had prospered, and multiplied, and grown overfull. There were throngs of young workers, moreover, just ready to emerge full grown from their cells and take up the business and duties of the hive. ”

“ A hive of the simplest possible construction, is only a close imitation of the abode of bees in a state of nature; being a mere hollow receptacle in which they are protected from the weather, and where they can lay up their stores. ”

“ If an old hive is full of bees, and yet shows no disposition to swarm, puff in a little smoke at the entrance of the hive, then turn the hive up, and give it some slight strokes on the sides so as to alarm the bees. ”

“ From a hive that has been inhabited all the winter, we have not unfrequently lifted out the frames and removed the stock to a clean hive, and we believe that the change has always been useful. The bees find a clean floorboard and a clean hive to breed in, free from insects that may have harboured in crevices about the hive. ”

“ When a queen is removed from a hive, the bees do not immediately perceive it; they continue their labours, “watch over their young, and perform all their ordinary occupations. But, in a few hours, agitation ensues; all appears a scene of tumult in the hive. A singular humming is heard; the bees desert their young, and rush over the surface of the combs with a delirious impetuosity.” ”

“ The advantage in having the stock hive independent of the cover and stand, and on its own floor-board, is that the hive is more easily stocked and more manageable in other respects than those that have hive, stand, and cover all in one, as is the case with the Philadelphia, Cheshire's, and Abbott's hives. ”

“ Although the hive has now become comparatively quiet and the work goes on without excitement, yet every single bee is employed in some way, either out of doors or about the hive. Besides the honey collectors and the nurses, a certain number of bees are told off to ventilate the hive. You will easily understand that where so many insects are packed closely together the heat will become very great, and the air impure and unwholesome. And the bees have no windows that they can open to let in fresh air, so they are obliged to fan it in from the one opening of the hive. ”

“ For this reason, when people wish a swarm to settle, after it has left the hive, they hasten to cover it; because the shade induces them to rest, while a hot sun annoys them, and inclines them to take flight again. When we wish to disperse a cluster of bees off the front of a hive, we have only to expose it to the rays of the sun in the heat of the day. ”

“ It is, therefore, of great importance to assist the hive as much as possible, in the spring especially, when it is of itself too weak to keep up the necessary degree of heat for the hatching of the brood ”

“ Many persons have been unable to control their expressions of wonder and astonishment, on seeing me open hive after hive, in my experimental Apiary, in the vicinity of Philadelphia, removing the combs covered with bees, and shaking them off in front of the hives; exhibiting the queen, transferring the bees to another hive, and, in short, dealing with them as if they were as harmless as so many flies. ”

“ The unfortunate victims evidently perceive their danger, for they are never at this time seen resting in one place, but darting in and out of the hive with the utmost precipitation, as if in fear of being seized. ”

“ Inside the hive, on each end, we fasten, by shingle nails, about half-way between the bottom and top, a small piece of half-inch board, about the size of a common window button, and with a like notch in it, set upward, but stationary, on which, when the hive is to receive the swarm, a stick is laid across, to support the comb as it is built, from falling in hot weather. ”

“ The longitudinal aperture of the hive is stopped by a cover of two or more pieces exactly fitted to it, and pierced with small holes, to give ingress and egress to the bees. No means can be devised more ingenious or more convenient for climbing the highest and the smoothest trees than those practised by this people, for the construction and visitation of these hives. ”

“ There is great variety in their diligence and mode of life. For when a clean hive is given them, they build their combs, bringing the drops from flowers and trees, such as the willow, the elm, and other glutinous trees. With this also they smear the floor of their hive, for fear of other creatures. ”

“ If a hive is expected to swarm, it should be allowed a quarter more in the autumn, that is, twenty pounds of honey: or it may be supplied after another manner, which I shall point out. But let there be no higgling with bees; better that they have too much than too little: more prudent than man, they never waste or abuse their superfluity.
In estimating the quantity of provisions that a hive contains, its age should be considered; and it is to be taken into account, that the black combs of old hives weigh ten times more than the white combs of a young one. ”

“ Having thus noticed the inhabitants of the hive, we will now turn our attention to the hive itself. The most profound philosopher, as well as the most incurious observer, is struck with astonishment on inspecting the interior of a bee-hive. ”

“ One of the chief objects of my researches has been, to ascertain what shape of hive is the most profitable; and, with this view, I have tried all the different kinds in my apiary, and I have invariably remarked, that bees thrive better in low hives than in high ones; that, in general, those which are broad and flat, or extended horizontally, amass more honey, thrive better, and give out stronger and earlier swarms, than those which are high, and of several stories, and for the following reasons. ”

“ The swarms ebb and flow about these little stands—bees, not bringing any honey, but attracted to the hive where it is rumored most honey is to be had. By habit some always stand or sit about a particular hive, waiting for the show of comb. ”

“ These are—a couple of hives, both of which should correspond in shape and size with the hive from which the bees are to be driven; a cloth to tie round at the juncture when the new hive is placed on the old one; - 227 - some string to keep the cloth in its place; an empty pail to receive the top of the old hive, if one of the old conical shape, but if the stock of bees is in a square box-hive with a flat top, a firm stool will be the best; and a tube fumigator with some fungus, which will complete the material of war. ”

“ The spirit of the hive is prudent and wise, but never niggardly. In the glad summer days of sunshine and plenty it permits three or four hundred males to exist in the hive—pompous, useless, noisy creatures, who are greedy and dirty, vulgar and arrogant; but, one morning when the flowers are beginning to close earlier and open later, the spirit will quietly issue instructions that every male shall be killed. ”

“ If they crowd busily in and out of the hive, giving evidence of their industry by the laden appearance of their legs, and altogether exhibiting a busy earnestness in their toils, you may safely buy the hive; and if you obtain this hive before swarming has taken place, you may look upon yourself as a fortunate man. ”

“ A VISIT TO A HIVE LET us now imagine that we are to pay a visit to a hive. If we are afraid of stings we may put on thick leather gloves and tie our sleeves around the wrists, to prevent any curious bee from investigating our arms. Then over our hats we may place a veil, to keep the bees from our face, for a sting in the eye would be a serious matter. ”

“ The whole of the interior of the hive is thus open to inspection at any moment, and a choice can be made of the combs containing the most honey, or the bee owner enabled to trace the devastation of the honey moth, and ascertain the presence of any other enemy, and this without the assistance of smoke, which must be injurious both to the bees and their brood. ”

“ With these substances, as well as others of a more bitter nature, they first line the whole inside of the hive, as a sort of protection against the greedy propensities of other small insects, as they are well aware that they are about to form that which will prove an object of attraction to them. ”

“ A few spoonfuls of the bees raised and laid down at the door of the hive, will set the example,—they enter at - 52 - once, and the others follow quickly, flapping their wings and sipping with delight the drops of honey that come in their way, or officiously licking and cleaning those first inhabitants that have received the sprinkling, and with whom they mingle and live henceforth on good terms. One division of the new comers always clusters on the front of the hive, which they enter during the night without disturbance, much pleased to rejoin their companions. ”

“ I shall omit the outside covering of the hive, believing that it is better to have the hive of a single thickness of board, say seven-eighths of an inch, in order that the heat of the sun may easily penetrate it, and warm up the hive almost daily, thus giving the bees an opportunity to bring to the central part of the hive fresh supplies of food from the outer combs. ”

“ Now and again on a very hot day a number of bees will stand at the front door of their hive and will fan in some of the outside air so as to cool the ones who must be within the hive. They always see that the hive is kept very, very clean. ”

“ Notwithstanding there might be a hundred hives standing in a line, with only a few inches space between each, and all of the same color and appearance, if left to itself no bee would enter the hive of its neighbor, although there might be hundreds of thousands of the busy workers, from all the hives, dying promiscuously about in the air. ”

“ If the bee-keeper ascertains that for some interval no pollen has been conveyed into any particular hive he - 300 - may regard it as a sure sign that no young bees are there hatching, and consequently that the hive is without a queen. ”

“ Those which return from the country have no sooner entered the hive than they take part in these tumultuous movements, and give themselves up to the general excitement. Not even thinking of depositing the pellets of pollen which they carry on their legs, they run about apparently without aim. ”

“ With the sweet food she makes." Some of the hives are constructed chiefly for the purpose of promoting a philosophic observation of the bee's habits and methods of procedure in his wonderful work. "Neighbour's Unicomb Observatory Hive" is a great novelty, being constructed with glass slides, the hidden mysteries of the hive being exposed to the full light of day. "Huber's Book or Leaf Hive" is constructed to facilitate the object of the scientific apiarian. But the class of hives which will most interest those desirous of promoting bee-keeping among the many will be those for the cottage. ”

“ In summer weather a very short time of confinement in a close hive suffices to complete the work of desolation; but should the bee-keeper's attention be drawn to such a state of things, he must immediately raise the hive from the floor-board and let the poor bees, have all the air possible, leaving them thus exposed for the purpose of affording them a chance of revival. ”

“ When we open a hive we find that the felts, which cover the combs and keep them warm, are firmly fastened down to the frames, and sometimes we have to use considerable force to get them off. The frames holding the combs are fastened into position, too, with propolis, and a mixture of this substance and wax is used to cover over the bodies of any intruders who have entered the hive and have been stung to death. ”