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Beekeeping For All
Translated from the original French version of L'Apiculture Pour Tous (12th edition)1 by Patricia and David Heaf. Sixth electronic English edition thoroughly revised February 2010. © Patricia Heaf and David Heaf, July 2007 Patricia and David Heaf reserve all rights to their translation subject to the terms of the Creative Commons license shown on page 155. For permissions please contact: David Heaf, Hafan, Cae Llwyd, Llanystumdwy, Gwynedd, LL52 0SG, UK. Email: david (at) dheaf.plus.com.
Note by Guillaume Fontaine in the electronic version of the French 12th edition2: "Abbé Warré died in 1951. According to intellectual property law3, his heirs should give permission for use of his writings. Having not been able to contact his heirs, I am permitted to distribute this document to anyone for access by anyone. And to let people know about this kind of beekeeping."
1. 2.
Reproduction of the 1948 edition; Legal Deposit: 4th term, 1948. Distributed at http://www.apiculture-warre.fr/. 3. Art. L. 123-1: "The author enjoys during his life the exclusive right to use his work in any form whatever and to obtain financial gain from it. At the death of the author, this right remains for the enjoyment of his beneficiaries during the current civil year and the following seventy years."
Acknowledgement The translators thank Guillaume Fontaine for making available his digitally reprocessed images scanned from the original printed edition of L'Apiculture Pour Tous.
Ainsi le voyageur qui, dans son court passage, Se repose un moment l'abri du vallon, Sur l'arbre hospitalier, dont il goûta l'ombrage, Avant que de partir, aime graver son nom. So the traveller who, in his short journey, Rests a while in the shelter of the vale On the hospitable tree, whose shade he enjoys, Before leaving, likes to carve his name. Lamartine
Before leaving, I would like, dear bees, to carve my name on these leaves, blessed shrub that has taken all its sap from around your dwelling place. In its shade, I have rested from my weariness, have healed my wounds. Its horizon satisfies my desires for there I can see the heavens. Its solitude is more gentle than deep. Your friends are visiting it. You enliven it with your singing. And because you do not die, dear bees, you will sing again and for ever, in the surrounding foliage, where my spirit will rest. Thank you. E. Warré
Apiculture thus contributes greatly to filling our fruit baskets. but this value is diminished by the cost of rendering. Manual workers. which takes place most commonly. France would again become the land of balance where there would be neither the agitations. behind their machines. The body needs exercise without which it atrophies. nor the collective follies that are so harmful to people. sunny weather. in despising meat. According to Darwin. as far as it keeps one away from cafés and low places and puts before the beekeeper an example of work. in fine. Honey is an excellent food. in confectionery. But society needs its thinkers. because it is most often done in the fresh air. both mind and body play their part. their promiscuity. their nudity. apple-less cider. Dr Paul Carton wrote: 'What is needed is to educate a generation in disliking alcohol. one that the beekeeper pursues before everything else. It is also worth noting that beekeeping is a fascinating activity and consequently rests both mind and body. The production of honey is the main purpose of beekeeping. order and devotion to the common cause. And we can sell honey in many forms just as we can consume it in many forms: as it is. And as the wise Engerand said. The mind needs exercising too. everlasting and inexhaustible capital is the earth'. suffer intellectual deterioration. otherwise it deteriorates. For sunshine is the enemy of illness just as it is the master of vitality and vigour. in cakes and biscuits. beekeeping is a moral activity. We shall go into this in more detail. Cross-fertilisation. But in their leisure time (they must have some of it) they can be gardeners and beekeepers and at the same time satisfy their human needs. Working on the land is best suited to the needs of human beings. in distrusting sugar. There. in healthy and pleasant drinks – mead. This work is better than all modern sports with their excesses. wax and honey. And let us not forget the advice of Edmond About: 'The only eternal. of reason and wisdom. Finally. For the human being is a composite being. This reason alone should suffice to urge all those who have the smallest corner of orchard to take up beekeeping. a country where it is good to live. Intellectuals deteriorate physically. because this product is valuable and because it can be weighed and priced. Clearly these people cannot run farms at the same time. it would become again a land of restraint and clarity. its office workers and its machine operatives. The production of swarms and queens should be left to specialists. The production of wax has some value.BEEKEEPING FOR ALL __________________________________________________________________________________ The purpose of beekeeping Apiculture or beekeeping is the art of managing bees with the intention of getting the maximum return from this work with the minimum of expenditure. more intelligent. Furthermore. Thus if the French were to return to the land they would be more robust. is necessitated becaus of the separation of sexes in flowers or even on 1 . a good remedy. self-fertilisation of flowers is not the general rule. Moreover. the best of all sweeteners. in the joy and the great benefit of movement'. beekeeping is a pre-eminently healthy and beneficial activity. queens. grape-less wines. one more important thing: the bees fertilise the flowers of the fruit trees. Bees produce swarms.
and covers itself with the fertilising dust that the stamens let fall. Money is useful to those who like to spread happiness around themselves. Hommell even attempted to put a figure on the benefit that resulted from the presence of bees. This mathematical conclusion is irrefutable. without it. Thus a prominent beekeeper claims that a harvest of only 10 kg is a rare maximum. which has only 10.different plants. However. It happens very often that if an outside agent does not intervene. attracted by the nectar secreted at the base of the petals. following its course without relaxation. A colony. without it. Consequently it is justifiable to imagine that this could result from beekeeping.000 foragers go out four times a day. a second presents a new crop to the tireless worker. It is no exaggeration to suppose that on ten of these flowers. Thus the bee. takes place in a way that is guaranteed. money is necessary to live. The lies To encourage a return to the land or to deceive those who return there. because the masticatory parts of its mouth are not strong enough to enable it to perforate the fruit pellicle that protects the pulp. The bee only gathers juice which. 2 .000. and a large stock housed in a big hive often has 80. Perhaps there were also selfish beekeepers among them professing poor results so as not to create competition. At the other extreme. visits thousands of corollae. would dry up and be wasted. a professor asserts that honey harvests should average 100 kg per hive if rational beekeeping methods are adopted. As Hommell put it so well: the bee. Having exhausted the first flower. Suppose 10. penetrates to the bottom of the floral envelope to drink the juices produced by the nectaries. But reading certain books and certain periodicals may lead to error on this point. Yet in spite of these minimal estimates. Certain fruit producers. It is totally impossible for bees to commit the theft they are accused of. But if we investigate the bee closely we soon notice that they ignore the intact fruits and only empty those with pellicles that are already perforated by birds or by the strong mandibles of wasps. or because of the non-coincidence of maturity of pollen and stigma or by the different morphological arrangements which prevent self-fertilisation in a flower. at least one is fertilised by the action of the foragers and that the resulting gain would be only 1 centime for every 1.000 foragers should be considered as reaching barely average. would be left at the mercy of the winds. They deprive themselves of a very sweet enjoyment. set themselves up in opposition to bees because bees come and drink the sweet juices of fruit and grapes. the pollen it is carrying falls on the stigma and the fertilisation which. above all viticulturists.000 fertilisations. many experiments demonstrate this. and deserves the poetic name that Michelet gave it: the winged priest at the marriage of the flowers. he said. beekeeper committees or some anti-French people published some staggering things in the newspapers. The benefits of beekeeping I pity those who keep bees only to earn money. the bees of this hive will have visited 100 million flowers in the course of one year. then in 100 days this will make four million sorties. our plants do not fruit or they yield far less. it is evident that there is a benefit of 100 francs a year produced by the presence of just one hive. And if each bee before returning home enters only twenty-five flowers.
One can see with this how work and capital are rewarded in beekeeping. 22 francs retail. Otherwise. which gives solace from life's annoyances. thus assuring the perpetuation of the stock. and that it is up to us to make it as much. without a fight. each hive required one and a half hours of my time in the course of the year. The bee observes the law that is as healthy as it is imperative.A doctor declares that in America a single hive can yield an average annual harvest of 190 kg of honey. For the bee there is no humiliating work. however well provided she is. Doubtless this would be by giving each hive 200 kg of sugar. She provides an example of a wise and reasoned lifestyle. The bee makes use of her terrible sting and dies in doing so in order to defend her family and her provisions. no method of beekeeping turns stones into honey. a law often overlooked by humans: 'you earn your bread by the sweat of your brow'. just in 3 . I had an average annual harvest of 25 kg per hive. Nobody is in charge. in a region which is poor for nectar. The queen lays tirelessly. The workers lovingly share their activity between the tender larvae. Furthermore. Each gave me a harvest of 15 kg. In a region with a high nectar yield one can harvest more. With dogs it is the boundless faithfulness. To be exact: in 1940 I had hives that cost me 300 francs each. even when she is foraging. The bee is a mistress and a delightful teacher. The bee contents herself with the nourishment provided in the surroundings of the hive. We call the laying bee the queen. The bee. Here at Saint-Symphorien. Now the price of honey was fixed at 18 francs wholesale. temperature and the skill of the beekeeper. Each bee has its task according to its age and abilities. With flowers it is the beauty that endlessly rejuvenates itself. even in misfortune – unfailing recognition. she gives way peacefully to people and to animals. Good fortune accrues to the souls of the elite. Neither do they make the beekeeper any wiser. But would not the fraud be exposed? The truth No type of hive. the hopes of the colony's future. but not weak. just as does the nectar wealth of the region. No egoism. without recrimination. No parliaments. and the fragrant fields where the honey is harvested from dawn to dusk. When I lived in the Somme. She is a pacifist. rebellion or anger. As a result the yield of a hive varies from one region to another. I average only 15 kg. There is neither king nor queen nor dictator in the hive. No gluttony. or increase queen fertility or improve the ambient temperature. for this quiet populace has neither a taste for new laws nor the leisure for futile discussion. Beekeeping is a good school Coppée said that good fortune is giving it to others. even in a region poorer in nectar. Now good fortune is not always possible. no imported early fruit or vegetables. does not consume more than is absolutely necessary. And I observe that the sweat of the bee. yet all work in the common interest. but you can find a considerable fortune in nature. No ready-made meals. This is incorrect. It fulfils its task without desire. without adding anything to it and without taking anything away from it. No place in a buzzing colony for the useless. queen fertility. from one hive to another and from one year to another.
half dead. And here is the song of the bees that Théodore Botrel sang: I said one day to the bee Rest a little now. but...cleansing her body.. Heavy with its pollen again Rest yourself. 4 . a clean storehouse for her provisions. See. I said to her.. in changing into scales of wax. Bees work day and night without respite. I'm in a hurry. It is so true that the observance of natural laws is always rewarded. Dance like her.. I am useful Said the bee to me. Her sweat. provides the bee with the materials that she uses to make her wonderful cells. in passing. Yesterday. subtle. when it's your turn Don't you admire it.. Waltzing over there on the lake? Yes. when my task is done. poor creature I said to her while helping her Yes. They only take a rest when there is no work to do. before the door Of its little temple of gold I caught sight of it. In the home of the bees there are neither pensioners nor retirees. Not even a rest at the weekends. from dawn to dusk. a soft cradle for her young. it swoons in day-dreaming Yes. is useful to her in another way. Said the bee to me. The bee said to me as she died. me. but me. leaving. Showing her the dragonfly. another day Come. Your striving to be like This pretty blue butterfly On the rose or the pansy.
cut). as we never help them in their agony. rotifers. lumbricus). revolutionary changes take their effect. sponges. those not having a vertebral column. insects or hexapods. we see our friends disappear. which are distinguished from plants through being able to move. articulation. those too who. during our long existence. the twinkling of the stars and the slow march of the clouds! The bee The place of bees in nature Animals. reptiles. form the transition between the invertebrates and the vertebrates. are divided into two main categories: vertebrates and invertebrates. Insects breathe air. 'secare'. in my parents' garden". have several branches: protozoa (infusoria). are of no interest here. in the company of his dog. birds and mammals. I dream with the slight feeling that they are singing in the same way as those I used to hear in my childhood. amongst the flowers. as they hide themselves to die. Arthropods are divided into several classes: crustacea (lobsters). with the sound of the wind in the trees. These are equipped with appendages: on the head the antennae and organs of mastication. Time seems not to have taken its toll on them. we can imagine that we always have before our eyes those that enchanted our early childhood. molluscs (oysters. and yet. the limbs. batrachians. in. worms (leeches. resting in the grass in the evening close to an apiary. comprising fish. and. corals). arachnids (spiders). The insects (from Latin 'in'. on the thorax. foot) are also called Articulata. with the same freshness of voice. head. The arthropods (from the Greek 'arthron'. she gives her self wholly to a job she will not enjoy – joy in the effort and giving of herself". illusions fall one after the other. thorax and abdomen. As a lover of nature once said: happy he who. podos'. The invertebrates. coelenterates (medusae. Some years pass. podos' foot) are characterised by always having six limbs. myriapods (centipedes). echinoderms (sea urchins). six. and 'pous.Henry Bordeaux said "What I admire most in the bee colony is the bee's total disregard for itself. One good thing about bees is they always seem to be the same. And for me bees are what birds were for André Theuret: "When I hear the bees buzzing in the foliage. slugs. It is the arthropods that interest us here. we age. arthropods and finally the chordata. the bees that we have known from childhood modulate the same musical phrases. characterised by their vertebral column. Their bodies show three distinct regions. The vertebrates. heard the song of the bees blending itself with the chirping of the crickets. which with their dorsal chord. or hexapods (from Greek: 'hex'. octopuses). bryozoa. 5 . have provided for us the happiest hours and the rarest of friends. and 'ports.
B: Bumble-bee nest.An insect A: Bumble-bee. C: Osmia Top to bottom: A mother – a worker – a male (life size) 6 .
a large number. The thorax is divided into three parts.000. are insects best endowed from the point of view of intelligence. hemiptera (bugs). The hymenoptera comprise two groups: the sawflies and sting-bearers. The workers. Because of their intelligence and organisation. In this group is the class Cephus. The larva after hatching from the egg undergoes a series of metamorphoses until it comes to resemble its parents. and Lydia piri. whose larvae spin a kind of silk net enveloping several pear leaves. The honey bee. Some are parasites whose mission is often to destroy harmful insects. inappropriately called the 'queen'. They feed their larvae on honey. in holes in walls or in cavities of decaying timber. for the 25. the metathorax which carries a pair of legs and sometimes a pair of wings. neuroptera (ant-lions). There are about 1. such as how many there are of them. Hymenoptera denotes the class of insects that is most highly organised from the point of view of intelligence. 100. stingless bees (Melipona) and the common bee or Apis mellifera. who only normally appear in the swarming season and disappear at the time when the nectar flow [also often referred to as 'honey flow'. which. the prothorax which carries a pair of legs. wing) are characterised by four membranous wings. Tr. diptera (fleas). coleoptera (cockchafers) and hymenoptera. Apis mellifera. to such an extent that their manifestations overwhelm ours. or carnivores like the common wasp or the hornet whose larvae need a supply of insects or meat. the mesothorax which carries a pair of legs and a pair of wings. Insects always have the sexes separate. insects are superior to other invertebrates. Their number varies from a few hundred to a few thousand. A single. very hairy insects. Composition of the bee family Bee families are called colonies. after the bees. such as the social bees including bumble-bees. 2. very small.500 species. The others are Formicoidea or ants. incompletely developed. Some are solitary. The sting-bearers have a sting at the end of their abdomen. The Melipona. and finally the Apides.000 and more. and the beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) which constantly rummages around on the ground to find larvae to feed on and which eats many bees. Others form social groups. like Osmia. in which is found the larva in the haulm which bears the ear of corn. Each colony comprises three kinds of individuals: 1.] ceases. This is the mother.000 known species indicate that there may be as many as 250. or atrophied females. 3. odonata (dragonflies). The 600. The sawflies have an abdominal terebra for sawing or perforating plants. live in large colonies. 7 . The Apides or honey-bearers are the bees. The hymenoptera (from the Greek 'humen'. The bumble-bees. membrane. because they have several queens. large. lepidoptera (butterflies). Some males.000 known species of insect are divided into eight orders: orthoptera (grasshoppers). fully developed female capable of laying enough eggs to assure the maintenance and growth of the family. and only in tropical countries.Their heads have two compound eyes. live only in small groups and make their nests below ground. is the one that we will be concerned with in greater detail. And yet we still only have partial knowledge of their qualities. and 'pteron'.
five days as a larva. such that the young queens are ready on the twelfth day after removing the old queen. to save time they almost always work with larvae aged two days. N. and thirteen days as a pupa (in a capped cell). the workers and the males have different sizes. pushed by the bees in opposite directions. He is reproductively mature around the fifth day after hatching. She stays in the hive as a nurse or wax producer for about 15 days. Sometimes.Comparative sizes The mother. Today we know that in each colony there is a queen. She begins to forage thirty or thirty six days after the egg was laid. The queen spends three days at the egg stage. She begins to lay two days later. In fact they have formed different groups in the colony. for. These exceptions happen for several reasons. hatching on the 24th day. about a month after the egg was laid. a mother. Other beekeepers report having seen three. after the egg was laid. The queens have been kept separate. i. as earlier in her life her instinct would have driven her to do.5 23 4. more often 30 days. i. Number of queens There is normally only one queen in a colony. however. The worker is three days at the egg stage. five as a larva and eight as a pupa (in a capped cell).5 28 Mother Workers Males Comparative development The hive inhabitants develop in different ways. at least 25 days. fertilised and capable of assuring the future of her family through her laying. This state disappears as soon as the groups become 8 . leaving it to the bees to replace her. we have seen two queens in a colony.e. hatching on the 16th day. The table below gives the approximate sizes in millimetres: Length 16 12 15 Width of open wings Diameter of thorax 4. Or possibly the beekeeper has introduced successively several queens to a colony he believed to be queenless. The male spends three days at the egg stage and six and a half days as a larva. If the mother is removed from a colony.0 24 3.e. The mother The mother's name Authors in antiquity taught that bee colonies were governed by a king. We shall however conform to common usage by calling the colony's mother 'queen'. A queen that is too old does not have sufficient energy to go and kill her daughter at birth. each having the elements of one colony.B. this mother is only a full female. or better. She is fertilised around the seventh day after hatching. She hatches on the twenty-first day. The overall ruler of the colony is the common interest.
clasping her and suffocating her. Only one queen is saved out of ten or fifteen. and pierces them with her sting. the population of the colony diminishes rapidly until it disappears. thus changing the particular scent that enables the workers to recognise her. The importance of the queen Her presence is necessary because only the queen lays the eggs destined for perpetuating the family. one finds a queen in the middle. they attack one another. 9 . For this queen is the one who was the first to lift the cover of her cell.closer together. Consequences of the disappearance of the queen A colony deprived of its queen is described as queenless. And subsequently never leaves her combs unless in the midst of a swarm that is leaving to start a new home. ten to fifteen. Now the queen that first hatches hurries to find the cells where her sisters are preparing to hatch. If the queen disappears and is not replaced by the beekeeper or the bees. I observe here a means of rigorous selection given by nature to the bee. Disappearance of the queen During visits to hives one frequently sees very tight clumps of bees. When a beekeeper has kept a queen separated from her colony for too long. The disorder created by the departure of a secondary swarm favours for a while the presence of several hatched queens at the same time. she is the most vigorous. Death is the result. Sometimes two queens sting each other. The strongest or the most able pierces the abdomen of the weaker one with its sting. and kill each other. When the bees raise queens for whatever reason. or even queens still enclosed in their cell. squeezing her. the bees in their excessive excitement press themselves round the queen as hard as they can. be it through the growth of the two groups. or through the arrival of cold weather. Nature too has taken all possible measures to keep her alive. when he has not enabled a queen to leave her introduction cage quickly enough. Antipathy of queens When two queens meet. they make several queen cells. or by heavy smoking. At other times this is caused by antipathy. virgins. or when there is robbing and danger for the queen. If one separates them by force. enter a foreign hive that is too near their own. The queen is mated in the air during flight. Such a queen is said to be balled. These circumstances make this act dangerous for an insect as fragile as a bee. shortly after the hatching of their successor. to queens that the beekeeper has kept too long between his fingers or hands. and to young queens who on returning from mating. This embrace of the bees is caused by joy or antipathy. It is also unique. The queen bee meets the male only once in her life. This antipathy exists between all mated queens. it is accompanied by stings and a rapid death follows. as happens to two duellists. This happens to old infertile queens.
it is in the second year that she lays most prolifically. because it is distended with eggs. Miller. As with chickens. The queen does not even use her sting except against young queens. according to Dr. or at least have difficulty finding her. The importance of the role of the queen and the seriousness of her loss is seen when a hive becomes queenless. it is not the worker that passes the food into the mouth of its mother. their head and body are covered with hairs. their wings are intact. because the discharge of the food is only possible with the tongue retracted. The queen does not even know how to feed herself. Character of the queen The queen is shy and retiring. Age of the queen It is quite easy to distinguish old from young queens. Furthermore. Old queens of three years are smooth.Life-span of a queen A queen lives from four to five years. in a colony that is dying of hunger. They work less and become bad tempered. The slightest unusual noise frightens her. The situation gets still worse if there is no young brood in the hive to allow raising a new queen. the workers supply the queen with brood food. it is the queen who introduces her tongue into the mouth of the worker to take into her crop the brood food that is already prepared for her. On the contrary. The role of the queen is just to lay eggs. The workers become agitated. 10 . doubtless because the queen is stronger and more robust. pure honey. If she is enclosed alone in a box with some honey within reach she will die of hunger beside the honey. Young queens in their first or second year have a larger abdomen. roused. This is about 50 times longer than the life-span of workers born at the beginning of the nectar flow. and their movements are agile. but also because the bees save for her the last mouthful of honey. Power of the queen It is a mistake to believe that the queen directs the construction of the combs and shares out the work to the workers. running in all directions in search of the queen. She often hides herself in the recesses of the hive where one might crush her. a mixture of honey and pollen already modified by an initial digestion. Imperfections of the queen The queen does not possess wax secreting organs nor the equipment for gathering pollen or honey. It is nonetheless true that the presence of the queen is indispensable to the activity of the colony. and when she is not laying. their wings are damaged and their movement is slow. However. It seems to be the same in the hive. it is the queen who survives the longest. While she is laying.
Her abdomen. and always to put the queen back on the comb where she was found. How to find the queen In the People's Hive (Warré Hive) with a queen excluder we have a mechanical means quickly to find the queen without endangering her. 11 . the queen will have moved as far from the edge of the brood nest as the time of the operation is from midday. In any case. Certainty that the queen is present Even without having seen her. at midday the queen is always at one extremity of the brood. It is important in order not to make a mistake to avoid frightening the queen by too sudden movements or by too much smoke. If the operation is not performed at midday. At midnight the queen should always be at the centre. their name in French. Odour of the queen It is said that the queen has a strong odour. extends well beyond her wings. In the laying season. The male has a much more rounded and hairier end to his abdomen. that has always worked well in our breeding work. She is fatter and much longer than a worker. distinguishes them from the 'bourdons' (bumble-bees) of the field.Appearance of the queen The queen's appearance makes it easy to find her. louder than a bumble-bee and quite different. each day of the warm season. Details of the male The males are blacker. The extremities of their bodies are hairier. and without the beekeeper being particularly experienced. His wings are longer than his abdomen. particularly as the bees of the colony more or less take it on. and better still if there are newly laid eggs and if the bees are coming and going. one can be certain that the queen is in a nest if there is larval worker-brood. smelling like melissa. They have a distinct odour. The legs are without the apparatus for collecting pollen. of a lighter shade. She is distinguished equally from the male by her more slender body. In framed hives there is another method for quickly finding a large number of queens. 'Faux bourdons' (false bumble-bees). one day to the right and the next day to the left. Her deportment is more stately. The males The name of the males The males are generally called drones on account of their noise in flight. the queen appears each day to cross the space occupied by the brood in order to lay in all the empty cells and extend the brood according to the space available. bringing pollen as they return. They have no sting.
according to the seasons. that the males are also useful to maintain the heat necessary for hatching the brood at any given time. by a queenless colony. All the workers are destined to perform all the useful tasks of the colony without distinction. They are killed by the workers as soon as it ceases. There is no way of distinguishing the workers except by the functions they perform. Life span of males In temperate climates the males live only a few months.Odour of males At swarm time the males emit a stronger odour. more than by the noise they make in flight. We share the view of certain beekeepers. even in winter. be it nursing. They only go out around midday and only during fine. wax-making etc. warm weather. etc. In the hive they seem to always be asleep. They raise the brood. there can be up to three thousand drones. The workers Functions of the workers The workers perform the tasks of construction and maintenance of the comb and the jobs of feeding. foraging. Functions of males All agree that the function of the males is to fertilise the young females. that it is queenless or has only an exhausted queen. They are retained for a time. Habits of males The males are gentle and peaceful. They sometimes move from one hive to another without the bees getting angry with them. the time and the circumstances. They appear at the beginning of the nectar flow. Moreover. guard the hive. Indication of the presence of males The presence of plenty of males during the nectar flow seems to indicate that the colony is strong and will give a good harvest if the circumstances are favourable. On the other hand. We shall discuss this issue when we speak of the means of reducing their number or eliminating them. this odour allows the emergence of swarms to be predicted. the presence of males after the nectar flow indicates with certainty that the colony is in a poor state. This is a means for the young female to recognise them. clean it and ventilate it. Only the young workers 12 . Number of males In colonies in good heart.
as their bodies are not sufficiently developed to withstand inclement weather. and never when it is raining or cold. It is more correct to say that the workers go out when their occupation is possible. for her part. without realising that this act of violence causes their own death.4 g nectar. For the same reason. more than the circumference of the Earth. But there are divergences between queen and worker which cannot be attributed to the conditions and to the cradle.05 g. one and the same ambition. except in certain cases. it is necessary for the bee to make 50.000 trips or 50.000 bees to make one trip. In summer.02 g. and below 8 °C. Bee polymorphism The difference between a worker and a queen comes solely from the shape of the cell in which the larva develops and its nourishment. Times of sorties It has been said that workers go out at any time of day in spring. and she. bringing in 0. 0. as often as they have some chance of finding nectar.e. In normal colonies in a good season. namely the prosperity of the colony. when they have recognised that they are strangers they drive them away and often sting them to death. pollen or propolis. workers look for nectar first and foremost.000 kilometres. Some figures A bee weighs about one tenth of a gramme. The harvest of 1 kg of nectar thus represents more than 40. But neither heat not cold completely halts production. They examine them and. 13 . To bring in a kilogramme of nectar. as a result of their incessant activity.e. only in the morning in summer. i. the workers challenge neighbouring bees.e. Habits of workers Amongst the bees of the same colony one observes a unity and understanding to a degree of perfection that exists nowhere else. i. though sometimes she brings back only 0. But the midday sun dries up the flowers.are exclusively occupied with the work inside the hive. Life span of a worker Workers can live a maximum of one year following queenlessness and a bad season. Who dares to affirm this? If it is a question of only more or less complete development. A bee can make twenty trips a day of one kilometre return. The worker possesses certain organs such as pollen baskets and wax secreting glands which are missing on the queen. But the rain so greatly weighs down the worker that it prevents her flying. bees becomes sluggish. For all the bees have one and the same aim. often only three or four weeks. workers live a maximum of two or three months. In spring it is above all pollen that the workers forage for. She can bring back half her weight. when workers have little activity. one might accept the dominant influence of nourishment and environment. i.
flour perhaps. for example from the stipules of vetch. whether in a field or on the edge of a wood. poplar. We have to admit that the nurse bees of a hive have an amazing ability if we wish to explain the polymorphism of the bees. sometimes from the leaves of oak. What can be seen in the surroundings of an apiary When the temperature is favourable for the nectar flow. whether it be because they are a subspecies which does not occur in that region. etc. extends her tongue and absorbs the droplet of nectar that we would have been able to see before she arrived. that the bee prefers some species to others. in a warm season. but also sometimes from the rest of the plant. We might even come to recognise our own bees. or because on their eaving the hive we have dusted them with a powder of some kind. and without danger of being stung. they know equally what upbringing to give a larva destined to produce a queen in order to fortify her or atrophy organs she does not need. for as we have said. beech. and that she ignores a flower visited previously by another bee. lime. birch. Bee foraging on a flower The bee moves immediately to another flower and repeats the process. and.has certain things that one does not find on the neuter bee. it is easy to follow the work of the bees. Such nectar is called honeydew. On arriving at a flower the bee parts the petals and plunges her head into the interior of the flower. It is to be noted that the more abundant the nectar the more foragers there are. and on the other hand develop those necessary for her maternal functions. that in the same sortie the bee appears to go to a single species of flower. The bee gathers nectar only from flowers. away from the hive the bee never stings. 14 . Nectar Above all it is nectar that bees seek in the flowers. It can only come from the nurse bees who by instinct know to what treatment they must subject a larva out of which will come a worker that will be endowed with the necessary organs for functions that she will have to fulfil. But this dissimilarity of the organism cannot be attributed to the conditions.
The bees also gather pollen which they use to feed the larvae. The foragers who gather nectar may also collect a certain amount of pollen, possibly involuntarily, but it is known that some workers collect pollen without nectar. The bees take the pollen with their mandibles and press it into a ball and take that with their front legs to pass it into the baskets in their hind legs. In certain flowers, such as broom or pink, there is so much pollen that the body of the bee is totally covered with it. Pollen of more than one colour is never seen being carried by a single bee. It thus appears that the bee at each sortie visits just one species of plant to gather pollen. For the colour of pollen varies from species to species.
Foragers also collect propolis from the buds of certain trees, for example alder, poplar, birch, willow, elm, etc. Propolis is a resinous, transparent, sticky material. The bees bring it in the form of small pellets in the same way as pollen. They use it to plug the cracks and fill the voids in the interior of the hive.
Finally, certain foragers also go to look for water which they use to dilute the paste for the young bees and probably also for dissolving crystallised honey. The bees have strange preferences: drops of morning dew, seawater, stagnant water which has received liquid manure in the vicinity of farms.
What can be seen at the hive entrance
When the temperature allows, we can see males or drones and workers at the entrance of a hive.
The drones go out only during the warm hours of the day. They are noisy and fly aimlessly and heavily though carrying nothing, neither nectar nor pollen.
If the temperature is above 8 °C, we see workers always busy at the hive entrance, but doing different things. Some are guarding or fanning for ventilation, others are cleaning or foraging.
The guards come and go at the entrance of the hive. They scrutinise the bees coming in from outside and only let them enter after they have been recognised, doubtless by their odour. They chase
away bees, however similar, coming from another hive to take their honey. They also chase away wasps, hornets and hawk moths which sometimes try to get into the hive.
Towards evening on warm days, above all if there has been nectar brought in, beside the guards, the fanners stand firm with their heads pointing towards the entrance, erect on their legs. Their wings move rapidly producing a sound that one can hear at quite some distance. Their task is to ventilate the hive to lower the temperature and to increase the evaporation of the water contained in the newly gathered nectar.
In the morning, especially in spring, bees are seen leaving the hive carrying wax debris and dead bees far away. These are the cleaners.
Finally we see the foragers emerging from the hive. They take to the air rapidly, without hesitation, in a definite direction, remembering flowers last visited. They return ponderously and sometimes fall in the grass surrounding the hive because they are laden with nectar. Others return carrying on their hind legs two balls of pollen, yellow or various other colours, that they have gathered from the stamens of flowers.
On warm days, especially after several days of rain, one often sees bees flying in ever increasing circles round the hive. These are not foragers but young bees carrying out a reconnaissance of their hive and its position. This exercise is called 'orientation'.
In front: a cleaner bee bringing out a dead bee. In the middle: two drones, shorter and fatter. Near the entrance: two workers carrying pollen that can be seen on their legs.
In front: a guard bee examining another bee. Near the entrance: ventilator bees fanning the hive.
Bees making a beard
When it is very hot, the bees, lacking space in the hive to spread themselves out, pour out of the hive in a group in front of the entrance and even go under the hive, attached to each other by their legs. We say then that the bees make a beard. They form beards too when they are preparing to swarm.
d. Eggs and larvae Queen cells Top: unfinished cells. those of workers. a capped cell containing a queen. Cells The cells have different sizes. next.What can be seen inside a hive Comb The first thing we notice inside a hive is the sheets of wax hollowed out with regular cavities. below it a cell whose queen has emerged normally. Combs under construction. bottom: a torn cell whose queen has been killed. b. 18 . The combs are separated by about a centimetre. Finally there are sometimes some queen cells of a special shape outwardly resembling a peanut. smaller. face view and side view There are also some irregular cells called transition cells. Some are just started and others are finished. c. The cavities are called cells or alveoli. Cells of males are bigger. These sheets are called combs.
Cells that are not capped may be empty or may contain eggs. The eggs are horizontal on the first day. matt and more domed. Right: worker cells. 19 . Capped cells contain brood if the capping is domed and matt. inclined on the second and resting on the base of the cell on the third. honey if the capping is flat and bright.Left: drone cells. Middle: transition cells. The cells may have a cover called a 'capping'. The newly emerged larvae vary in fatness according to their age. Right: worker cells. domed and matt. pollen or honey. larvae. Left: capped drone cells.
the males are outside or in the corners of the hive so as not to obstruct the workers. we guarantee that you are sure to get a good profit. But we are writing this book in order to remove all these obstacles. If you follow our advice. If the hive is visited during hot periods. The queen has no task other than to lay. fetching nectar. Finally. The complexity of both beekeeping material and methods are another. We show you a simple method that is at the same time economical. The problems of beekeeping It cannot be denied that beekeeping is a useful and pleasant activity. So why is it not more developed? For bees are not in all the places where there are flowers to be fertilised and nectar to be gathered. some workers and some males. or at least not enough of them. The first problem is the bee's sting. We give you the measurements of an economically profitable hive. We tell you of the gentleness of the bee. pollen. We have discussed them in a preceding chapter. 20 . propolis and water. Occupants In the hive there is of course a queen.Top: capped cells containing honey. capping: flat and bright. The workers are busy with various tasks: feeding the queen and the larvae. cleaning the cells of the hive. the main problem is that the benefit appears too small to allow the practice of beekeeping. The males are scattered on the brood with no apparent occupation. probably to warm it.
21 . throw a little wheat or rice flour on one of them and follow her. She never stings you. This sting does indeed seem formidable. But is it really so? The bee is often maltreated. in order to better distinguish them. In the first editions of my book. We can discuss bees for hours in any country in all classes of society. Try the following experiment: when your trees are in flower. Now it can be seen from these photos that there are bees in the hives in question. but the best friends of bees avow that they do not keep bees because they fear the bee's sting. If you like. my dear friend Polo. without even covering their heads with a veil. there is my dog sitting peacefully. jostled by reapers or by animals when it forages in a meadow. Everywhere and always we find attentive ears.Beekeeping without stings The first obstacle to the further spread of beekeeping is the bee's sting. that the operators are wearing neither gloves nor a veil. I reproduced numerous photographs of all the annual beekeeping activities. that they have as their sole weapon a modest Bingham smoker. You can continue this game as long as you wish. Push her again and she moves further off. i. including driving bees from a skep. Bees are friendly. she goes to another flower.e. a cocker spaniel with long ears and long hair. Push her aside with a finger. The bee only gets angry when she has collected her load of nectar. You may have seen professional beekeepers working in the midst of their bees. One of these photos is reproduced here. without fear. examine the bees foraging on these flowers. at the foot of each open hive. with no apparent precautions. But it never stings them. a job that ends in hitting it with sticks. and finally. it has everything needed for just one bee to create mayhem if it was dissatisfied.
nor the thickest clothes can give protection. During this operation one cannot therefore be approached by bees from neighbouring hives or foragers of the hive being transferred. especially active life. i.e. and after a few moments of communion. Unless you are especially privileged. And here is how. i. that they are never allowed to suspect that they are the enemies of their keeper. sufficient stores. But bees have the job of creating a family and making it prosper. even brush them aside as we do frequently. he will be well accepted by the bees. however. This is why. you will not be able to reach a definite conclusion. collecting nectar and preserving it. 22 . and see which is best'. They are first of all violent people. I do not know of a single other animal that one can treat so roughly as the bee. nor gloves. And to defend the family and the honey it has received a powerful weapon. with a speed that nobody would know how to escape from. I provide for using a veil. There is therefore no frequent chilling of the brood chamber. no cause for irritating the bees. You may therefore carry out beekeeping without danger of being stung. Then there are people who have a strong smell. It uses it against all enemies. whether pleasant or not. No comb is removed from the hive with the bees present. There are many different systems of hive and all have their enthusiasts and opponents. I do not hesitate to say that when a beekeeper is stung by his bees he should always ask what mistake he has made. As the beekeeper. The beekeeper therefore cannot squash or irritate the bees. Furthermore. and as he presents himself to them as a friend. During the routine tasks of the year the hive is opened once.e. The choice of hive The second difficulty for the novice beekeeper is choosing a hive. bees are not bad by nature. study them. or an upset stomach or from alcoholism. Do not try to experiment It is not unusual to hear the novice deciding as follows: 'I will try out two or three of the most fashionable systems. or perfumed. But life is short. knowing how he is going to house his bees. violent in their gestures and violent in their words. or people who are dirty. nor gaiters. I accept that certain people are sometimes insurmountably apprehensive when it comes to approaching bees with their face uncovered. my method reduces or eliminates the risk of stings. on one condition only. and with a force against which neither veils. which gives the beekeeper the assurance that they cannot be stung on the face. each operation of which I will describe to you in a precise way. Despite my affirmations on the gentleness of bees. For example: people having foetid breath – as the smell comes from bad dentition. jostle them. But everyone else may keep bees with the certainty of not being stung by them. Now this should be an easy matter for those who wish to follow my method. with my method. the sting with its venom. Driving the bees from one hive to another is done at some distance from the apiary. at the harvest. he may without danger shake his good bees. real or apparent. provides his bees with a suitable home. and will detail the manner of proceeding.Thus. I would say that there are two types of person who are at risk of being frequently stung by bees. This difficulty can be overcome.
Those who wish to produce. Hive systems studied in my apiaries: 1. 6. semi-double. they get great satisfaction. 4. run as two colonies of eight frames. Dadant-Blatt hive. Layens hive. with a minimum of between ten and twelve hives in each system. Voirnot hive. for example. But after these ten years they may observe that a particular system is perfect in winter.To test different hives. 10-frame Voirnot hive. Such experiments have provided even myself with many enjoyable hours. Would they then try a new ten-year experiment? Could they? As amateurs do such experiments. they need to be studied in the same apiary. Duvauchelle hive. 12-frame Layens hive with a super. Put another way. or have to. 23 . After this second study they may realise that they have a hive that is perfect for the bees. and another is better in summer. run as two colonies of 9 frames with a super. And they will study this new hive system for another ten years. would do well to avoid them. 2. 5. answering all their needs. They will thus devise a single hive system that combines all the advantages of the two systems studied previously. over a period of ten years. it is necessary that these hives be in an identical situation and that they will give a true average. under the same management. but poor for the beekeeper because it needs far too much attention. 3.
as they believe that they have perfected it. Question the advice of others Of course. They mislead you without realising it. It is just as well that there is an infallible means of recognising the best hive. It gives them more profits. Tr. It is not always the best. But paternal love is blind. 9. The people's hive with fixed comb (one of the prototypes). warm-way. he will promise you amazing harvests. will be motivated to recommend the hive that they mass produce. Let us call it self-love. 11. In fact you will be deceived. And without thinking he is deceiving you. It is thus better not to listen to anyone. And by force of repeating this. They do not want the competition to increase. unless he happens to discover it himself. Base yourself on apicultural or scientific principles which everyone accepts and that no one will argue with. on the other hand. 30x40. recommend the hive that they have chosen. The people's hive [Warré hive. It is also necessary to recognise that sometimes personal interest guides certain beekeepers. One passion drives humanity. namely vanity. whether writing or speaking. 8-frame Congrès hive. 10-frame Congrès hive. so they recommend what they disdain. shallow. 24 . or the one that they have invented. shallow. He will say that it gives excellent results. 30x40.] with moveable frames. 8. Hive manufacturers. 12. perhaps he will end up convincing himself.Hive systems studied in my apiaries (continued): 7. 9-frame Layens hive. 10. But self-love prevents the beekeeper admitting that he is mistaken in his choice of hive. 12-frame Jarry hive. Beekeepers do not see the defects of their hives. beekeepers.
Then only a hive with fixed combs will give you this result. I will simply give you the reasons for their superiority. I will not impose myself. it is not necessary to make a comparative study of modern hives to account for their lack of value. what time is required in their management in order to be able to conclude. but also one that you can study at will in all its nooks and corners. Moreover. the fruit of my researches. that their product necessarily costs too much. To appraise my hive and method. And those of beekeepers who have known and been able to combine with their apiary some kind of business such as constructing hives. Productive beekeeping On the other hand. All the other apiaries disappear quickly because they do not feed their owner. my advice has absolutely no personal interest. of vicars. would you like to obtain from your hive honey that is guaranteed natural and less costly than that at the grocers? Would you like to start a cultural activity that nourishes you and your family? In this case. Reasons for this advice This advice might appear rash in view of the large number of framed hives of all systems that are on offer and used by beekeepers. as we have said. Reflect on this fact. However. In this case. The cost of framed hives and their 25 . I have in my apiaries 350 hives of different systems. I do not wish to impose my experience on anyone. etc. I have been able to make comparisons. Furthermore. like the pages of a book. It is a hive of this kind that François Hubert used for his famous observations. etc. The best hive Scientific beekeeping Do you wish to study the bee while it is living and going about its work? To do this. it is the framed hive that is needed. without even being a beekeeper. It is necessary that the frames be 'openable'. you will not only need a hive with windows. It is a sacrifice for science. Which are the modern hives that have not been abandoned after some years of experience? Those of schoolteachers. you will need a hive that is less expensive. reasons based on incontestable apicultural and scientific principles. It would be costly. who have spare time not devoted to other things. my work nor the results obtained.The value of my advice For more than thirty years I have studied in my apiaries the main hive systems shown in the illustrations reproduced here. a hive whose management demands less work from you. making confectionery. even when I give the dimensions of the hive that I recommend. whose honey simply costs less. and also the frames of this hive should be moveable at will. It is sufficient to calculate what it costs to install them. This hive is expensive and there is no profit from it.
and a few absurd. some are harmful. Its popularity As soon as it appeared the Dadant hive became a great success.accessories can be found in the catalogues of the manufacturers.] has already been a victim of the inventors. length. the Layens and the skep. In any case. that the beekeeper will make a fortune. 266 mm. In fact all the commercial hives can be divided into four systems: the Dadant hive. But the improvements I have heard of are useless. Even the People's Hive [Warré Hive. The frames have the following measurements: depth. 420 mm. The Dadant hive Ch. the Voirnot. They take the frames through all geometric forms and advertise a new hive which will assure. Dadant (from L'Apiculteur) The Dadant hive contains 12 frames. We shall only consider the number of hours' work that each system requires. Tr. We will not take up our time with them. better than others. But many beekeepers are obsessed with invention. as all these modifications generally increase the cost of the hive. They remove a centimetre here and add one there. They have to change something on the hives that they own. 26 . its supers have half-frames. they do not constitute a new system because they are not based on an essential apicultural principle. They say they are improving it. This begins by increasing the capital outlay. Number of systems The number of types of hive continues to increase.
With the skep they had hardly any fittings to make for it. in this process. desire for novelty and fashion. it is best to do away with the colony and replace it with a swarm or with driven bees. inconstancy. although Dadant was French by birth. There is no need for frames to assess the state of the stores. he was living in America. And then the frame enthusiasts have to ask themselves: how long does the framed hive keep its mobile frames after they have left the joinery workshop? Two years at most. the fixed comb stays put and does not break. The bee is overworked by the increased surface to warm and an additional consumption of winter stores results. Businesses were started and proliferated. that they follow blindly in not only the most serious. There is no need for frames to check the state of the colony. it has to warm the hive over a (horizontal) surface area of 2. the Dadant hive that we use is not the one that Dadant used. If in autumn one leaves the necessary stores. We have cages which allow extraction of fixed comb by means of an extractor. But I regard frames as one of the main causes of disease. For most beekeepers do 27 . Yet honey is the bee's sole combustible material. you notice a bad smell or decomposition of the brood. This is more economical than all the advocated treatments. For. A diplomat put it: 'The French are big babies who accept without hesitation what someone else says. In facilitating visits to the inside of the hive it increases such visits which exhausts the bees in re-establishing the hive temperature. but also the most frivolous matters'. The number of arrivals and departures indicate the strength of the colony. It was not foreseen that with a few modifications the extractor could be used to extract honey from hives with fixed comb. there is no further need to bother about them. Its measurements The measurements of the Dadant hive clearly requires more wood than a hive of 300 x 300 mm. With these cages.A very disillusioned person said of the French: 'Wantonness. They all ordered the Dadant hive that made them a living. for treating disease and for extracting honey. the Dadant hive offers something for the entrepreneur. If there is a large drop in the number of sorties. In addition. Moreover. at the expense of what they have at home'.000 cm2 instead of 900 cm2 as in our hive. weakening the colony and increasing its chance of contracting disease. And a historian wrote: 'The French have a mania for praising what comes from outside. All is well. Furthermore. In these respects the performance is at least as good as with frames. Nobody is concerned about this. Finally it should be recognised that the Dadant allowed the use of the extractor. If. above all a stranger'. an invention whose usefulness is undeniable. No more is there need for frames to extract the honey. in spring when the colony wants to expand its brood nest. Wood is expensive. And Dadant was more a manufacturer of foundation than a beekeeper. If the bees are bringing in pollen. which are suitable only for experts who carry out research. Its frame Some people regard the frame as essential to monitoring the hive. it is necessary to disinfect the hive with a flame or bleach. there is a queen and brood.
It is necessary to use a swarm of 4 kg. Eighteen kilos of honey distributed between 12 frames hardly provides one kilo for the frames at the middle. We are satisfied with placing a starter of 5 mm of unadulterated. and to keep it like this. because they abhor empty space. at the front or rear of the hive. If the space is 10 mm the bees construct comb in it. brings about a heat differentiation from its bottom to its top. the honey. they move to the other extremity of the frame where there is still some honey. and still less on time. they will not be able to make this move because they will not find in the middle of the frames the necessary provisions to make the journey. with the best wax (their own) and with the normal thickness of a comb. During the nectar flow. fitted with foundation. They thus strengthen it as they extend it. Inserting this foundation is fiddly and takes time. Foundation is thus a considerable consumer of time and money and increases the capital cost of the hive. When they have consumed all the honey above their cluster. There will even be honey only in the corners and none at the centre. We have already indicated the disadvantage of this. but as a means of encouraging the bees to construct their combs in the same direction in order to make it easier for the beekeeper. Finally. They will die of hunger where they are. as with all frames.5 kg.5 mm between the inside walls of the hive and the frames. for the bees do not always leave the cells in the state in which they have been given to them. Furthermore. because they always put the most effort into their work. foundation brings very minimal return. Wax foundation Wax foundation used in the Dadant hive is expensive. foundation is more harmful than useful. on the sunny side. If the space falls to 5 mm the bees fill it with propolis. the frame considerably increases the hive volume. But if the temperature is low. It is necessary to leave a space of 7. The wintering bees cluster on the honey at the corners. and as a result. The required precision increases the capital cost of the hive. raw wax. it economises only a very small amount on honey. This is not commercially available. yet with stores nearby. the bees construct their combs according to their needs. So why use frames? In any case. A swarm of 2 kg requires two years to 28 . the only time when the comb can be drawn. In addition. The wax is nothing other than the sweat of the bee. still less one of 1. the Dadant frame requires a finely planed finish to facilitate its cleaning at the spring visit. Populating the hive To populate a Dadant hive a swarm of 2 kg is insufficient. and even harmful as it prevents bees from constructing their comb vertically and evenly. And we do not consider this starter as a saving in honey. The accessories that it requires are expensive. This is the reason why we do not use foundation.not do spring-cleaning and the frames are soon stuck to each other and to the inner surfaces of the hive. it demands a high degree of precision in manufacture. Foundation is thus useless at this time. bees sweat a lot. immediately placed in the hive. And during the nectar flow. the Dadant hive has a long. The frame. In both cases the frames cease to be mobile. This is a big disadvantage of hives with frames that are shallow and long. It follows that the various distortions of the foundation and the steel wire supporting it result in warping in the comb. shallow frame shape. Without foundation. But outside the nectar flow.
and during good weather. is removed from the hive. stops at the boards.. It is more efficient and the replacement of its contents is easier and quicker. in April in the region of Paris. fitted with wax foundation. spreads to the sides of the hive where it cools. Modern hive: one of the frames. or the temperature too low. albeit without roughness. But in any hive there is humidity caused by the evaporation of nectar and animal respiration. cannot pass through them. We prefer our quilt of 10 cm uncovered. Its boards The brood chamber of the Dadant hive is covered with boards or oilcloth. heated by the bee cluster. It is not healthy. as indeed all the framed hives. 29 . This is why it is recommended that one proceeds rapidly. For it is important that the colony is not too well developed. In this opening of the hive. Furthermore. The outside temperature is always lower than that of the hive. Whence a loss. and damages their combs.m. the cloth over it prevents one from seeing if its contents are still insulating. In our hive a 2 kg swarm settles in in the first year and gives a harvest three months after hiving. This mist keeps the bees in an atmosphere that is constantly humid. from midday to 2 p. falls as a mist on the outside frames. Then all the old frames should be removed. Bees abhor empty space. This thickness is insufficient for the quilt to fulfil its role as an insulator. The spring visit It is necessary to open Dadant hives. it is first of all necessary to clean all the frames and the inside walls. And this humidity. Its quilt The quilt that covers the brood chamber of a Dadant hive is only between three and four centimetres deep and comprises a cloth above and below.settle in and give a harvest. rises to the top of the hive. in spring. for sooner or later the dampness stops it doing so. Our covering over the combs avoids this loss and looks after the health of the bees.
When the hive is first opened at the spring visit it is necessary therefore to take out the frames one by one and scrape them all round to remove the propolis. This work annoys the bees whose young are cooled. in summer it should provide the bees with a space sufficiently large to develop the colony. Its expansion Whereas in winter the volume of a hive should be reduced to a sufficient minimum. and incapable of resisting disease. It is worth noting here that the hives said to be automatic are not really automatic except in the joinery workshop. the bees hatching from them will become smaller and smaller. the cells are reduced in size by the cocoons left by each bee when it hatches. these frames sometimes contain brood. The frames also have to be moved aside to scrape the walls of the hive. and becomes impossible in the second or third year. If these old frames are kept. If this propolis. and for the incoming nectar. manipulation of the frames becomes difficult. because it does not involve opening the hive. Now. The bees strive continuously to fill the gaps even between the combs and the sides of the hive. we do not hesitate to point out that an individual beekeeper does not manage to carry out this intervention every year in forty hives. This means adding supers (shallow boxes). Also. which. But our method reduces the spring visit to an insignificant job. After this procedure one has to take out all the old. In the old frames. weaker at their work. put them further away from the centre. black frames. But in order to avoid chilling the brood and 30 . as much on the frames as on the walls. await hatching and return later to remove them. can be done at any time or temperature. At the apiary they are no longer so. It is therefore necessary to remove them. requires the bees to consume stores to rewarm the brood chamber. and calls for a considerable outlay of time by the beekeeper. Bottom: brood chamber.Modern hive and its super (shallow box). is not removed each year from the first year onwards. moreover.
In principle we can put a super on when all the frames except one at each side of the brood chamber are occupied. However. we should not put them on too late either. She also becomes less resistant to disease and the beekeeper wastes several kilogrammes of honey and a lot of time. the Dadant hive needs 18 kg stores for winter. The Voirnot hive Abbé Voirnot (from L'Apiculteur) Abbé Voirnot must have known the two good French hives. even when making our spring visit. After the above presentation. resulting in time being expended. and to consume honey wastefully. and whatever the outside temperature. It is often necessary to add a second super when the first is three quarters full with honey. 31 . in our method. a knowledge of beekeeping is not necessary to understand that in the management of the Dadant hive. Some authors say 20 kg.stopping laying. The difference is considerable. we should not put the supers on too soon. Thus the bee becomes more irritable. Its stores In view of its size and the inspections it requires. Yet the hives are not all at the same stage of development. ceaselessly forced into an over-exertion that is not provided for by nature. We can put several there at the same time and as soon as we wish. Decouadic and Palteau. consumption of stores and stressing and annoying the bees. His knowledge and perseverance in other researches showed he was equal to the work. the bee is ceaselessly thwarted in its intentions. we place the additional boxes underneath and not on top of the brood chamber and without opening the hive. A great economy of time is the consequence. And in order to avoid swarming and reduction of the harvest. chilling the brood chamber. Thus it is necessary to open the hives to assess the situation. He could have been able as successfully as I was to find a way of using the extractor to extract the fixed combs of these hives. In our hive 12 kg stores are sufficient. We thus have to open the hives several times.
Abbé Voirnot concluded that 100 square decimetres of combs gives the hive the size that is necessary. Abbé Voirnot also gave his hive a cubic shape. It is a small matter. Fascinated by the advantages of the extractor. The square shape allows placement of the hive warm-way or cold-way as one wishes. These are two important advantages. 12 kg stores generally suffices. In a hive we do not have to allow for light. But he did not accept the Dadant hive. Expansion Abbé Voirnot also saw the inconveniences of expansion in the Dadant hive. expansion. but whose construction is too expensive. stores and boards. a shape in which the distribution of light occurs most evenly. On this point he was content with reducing to 100 mm the depth of the super of his hive. a swarm of 2 kg suffices to populate it. because this shape was closer to the shape of a cylinder. Thus no more death of colonies beside good stores. because this shape approaches a sphere. Populating the hive and stores In view of the size of the Voirnot hive. the Voirnot hive retains all the faults of the Dadant hive including frames. Size The size of the Dadant hive excited everyone at first. the bees want only darkness in it. Apart from the advantages that we have indicated. 32 . And this cubic shape prevented Abbé Voirnot from promoting his frame as much as M. He understood its faults. a shape in which the distribution of heat occurs more evenly. foundation. Depth and shape Abbé Voirnot gave a greater depth to the frame of his hive so that the bees always had all their stores above their cluster. But do not forget that in our hive. Here Abbé Voirnot made a mistake. yet sufficient for winter and spring.But Abbé Voirnot never spoke of these two hives. It is the size that he gave to his hive and which made it superior to the Dadant hive. as was presented to him. he straight away accepted the framed hive which immediately enabled him to use the extractor. de Layens did his. Abbé Voirnot gave his hive a square shape. spring visit. An unfortunate mistake. After some very commendable observations. and between 15 kg and 16 kg of honey is sufficient as winter stores. a small advantage. quilt.
which is only 330 mm. The Layens hive thus has as its only advantage the depth of its frame. spring visit. expansion and stores. foundation. reduced to 9 frames with the partitions. When the bees have filled the frame positioned next to the brood chamber with honey. M. M. Apart from that it has all the faults of the Dadant hive including frames. de Layens also saw great difficulties with placing the super on the Dadant hive.The Layens hive De Layens (from L'Apiculteur) Like Abbé Voirnot. quilt. de Layens gave his frame a depth of 370 mm. still better than with that of the Voirnot hive. reduced to 9 frames with partitions gives a perfect situation for wintering. The Layens hive. Expansion M. This frame is better than that of the Voirnot hive. The Layens frame size of 370 x 310 mm approaches that of two combs one above the other of our hive 400 x 300 mm. The difficulties of expanding are not decreased. they cannot pass across this frame to carry nectar to the subsequent frames. Otherwise the bees swarm because of shortage of usable space. de Layens was mistaken. When it is half-filled with honey one has to move it back and put an empty frame in its place. It is clear that he simply did away with the super and replaced it with additional frames at each side of the brood chamber. and between 15 kg and 16 kg of honey likewise as winter stores. a 2 kg swarm suffices. 33 . the bees always have their stores above their cluster. With this frame. Populating the hive and stores In the Layens hive. on the contrary. This frame has to be monitored. No colony mortality next to plentiful stores there either. Note that it is again between 3 kg and 5 kg more than with our hive. boards.
namely that they are cheap to set up. In spring they add a super. the frames in the brood nest soon cease to be mobile. The bottom. They prefer to swarm. But it is 50 years since we have abandoned this 9frame hive with supers. The bees hatching in the old combs are weak. At the top of the deep frames there is often still a small amount of honey. Furthermore. Or equally. But the bees are reluctant to cross the honey. but the bees rarely ascend to the supers. There is too much honey in the brood nest and the bees swarm in spring. lacking room. the bees 34 .Observations The Layens hive is referred to as modernised. If the stores are insufficient. lack resistance to disease and are a risk to neighbouring apiaries. Combination hive with its super. may be made of straw. but I strongly suggest that these hives have only one point in their favour. The domed hive would suit them equally. or brood nest. The combination hive Beekeeping without principles I do not ignore the fact that many hive owners do not manage them according to the principles of apiculture that I have discussed. They should adopt the combination hive. The combination hive is a skep with fixed comb on which is placed a super with moveable frames. osier or wood. there is not sufficient honey and the bees die of hunger if one does not save them soon enough with a terribly expensive feed. It is good for wintering. In autumn they gather the honey from the super. That is all. Logical beekeeping Modern hives would not suit such beekeepers. They throw a swarm in a hive. but they lead to disasters because their combs are not renewed and because the stores are not checked.
In fact they abandoned the only hive that suited them. just as I did. because they do not cross over the honey. A good number of owners of skeps nevertheless remain faithful to their system. I was the only person who had beehives. Here is an observation that leads to the same conclusion. The owners had let themselves be tempted by the advertisement of some on displays at agricultural shows. The majority are wise country folk who prefer certainty. They believed they would do better with these modern hives. Domed hive: A – dome. there was an abandoned Dadant or Layens hive. In the village where I was born each family had its apiary. even probability. 35 . empty of course. But the years pass without them seeing evidence of their mistake. B – hive body The skep Its enthusiasts Many new amateur beekeepers adopt the modern hive for its frames and appearance. the bees swarm because they lack room.die. they go up neither into the super nor the dome. all my childhood friends ate an abundance of delicious bread and honey. If the stores are too abundant. In any case. Twenty years later. Each winter. In some gardens.
Interior of a skep Osier skep: a – handle. Moreover. c – coating of daub (pourget: a mixture of clay and cow-dung). 36 . It is very difficult to get to know them in detail. Its methods The methods used with skeps are as various as the aims pursued by the beekeepers. these methods remain for the large part mysterious. b – thin wood.
In spring. as it did not produce the maximum yield. the wax was harvested. in the first spring. 37 . even for the farmyard animals. here is what was done in my father's apiary. the wooden ring of a kitchen sieve with the mesh removed. bound with split bramble or string. even unprofitable. where there were always twelve or fifteen skeps. The hives were made in the winter evenings. it was barbarous. and healthy and strong bees to repopulate the modern hives that frequently died out. In autumn all the colonies of hives weighing more than 25 kg were suffocated (sulphured) and the honey and the wax harvested. they received in the manner of a super. All our friends in the village also had their share each year.In any case. From them. some slow colonies died of hunger. Although this procedure was simple and cost little. At my parents' home there was always plenty of honey for masters and workers. with rye straw. the procedure obtained honey cheaply. and also irrational. In the course of the summer the empty skeps received all the swarms. However. At their strongest. Skep with hackle (straw roof) Its volume was 40 litres. only underneath.
Some apiaries are extended.A good method In support of skeps. like everyone else. many simply to do the same as everyone else. I do not believe any of this. which were criticisms of it from different points 38 . prefer a pill or injection to a cup of herb tea. Under these conditions. Harvest the honey and wax and destroy the brood. obliged to use honey for several years. The Dadant hive was the most widespread. Firstly. a lump of sugar to a teaspoon full of honey. Some apiaries are set up. to have a life without suffering and a late death without pain. People do not buy honey instead of butter. etc. make the bees ascend into an empty skep as we describe later in the chapter 'Driving (transferring) bees'. Origin of the People's Hive (Warré Hive) Having decided to take up beekeeping I was bewildered by the diversity of systems of modern hives. Did not a wise man write that people eat themselves to death? Have people learned from experience? I have not noticed it. But will actual consumption of honey be maintained? Yes. but instead of sugar. but how few! The majority of people. i. in America. There will thus be a greater production of honey. for sugar is the main competitor for honey. in India. but on the condition that economical hives are used and an economical method is followed in order to obtain honey at a minimal cost of production. they provide a living for doctors and pharmacists. in Turkey. like everyone else. a very useful invention. here is how it could be done: at the beginning of the main nectar flow. for both honey and medicinal plants. But already the Voirnot and Layens hives. etc. and that clever publicity will continue to push the public towards honey. Small apiaries will certainly disappear because sugar will return on to the free market. others from necessity of having some remunerative work. if honey is sold at the same price as sugar. Certainly this result cannot be obtained with the hives and methods currently in vogue that we have already referred to. And like everyone else. And I have noticed that everywhere there are reasonable people who know how to submit to the laws of nature and health. Yes. The optimists tell us that the public. some for obvious reasons of economy. I have had correspondents not only in France but around the world. Honey is the only healthy sweetener. will beekeeping still be profitable? Yes. I have done a lot of publicity in my life. they contract all possible kinds of illness. the larger number. that is certain. There will nevertheless remain more hives than ever. and even cheaper if they wish to attract the new customers that they need. Let us be sensible Various things make people turn to beekeeping: some from want of sugar. on the whole cheaper. But it can with the method that we are going to present to you. in China. they die sooner and more painfully. have been able to appreciate its qualities and that they will remain faithful to it. Thus beekeepers come to sell honey at the same price as sugar. it allowed use of the extractor. But sugar has a stronger sweetening power and it is easier to handle..e. quite a lot because of convenience.
following on from their work. Now this surface varies from 900 cm2 in our hive to 2. We have given the reasons for this earlier. all the more so for Dr. I noticed straight away that the bees consumed less of their stores in the hives with single walls where they would feel the cold still more in winter. in two forms. modified his hive and gave it eight frames 300 x 400 mm (shallow). Another hive started to appear. M. I thus resolved to repeat the studies of these master beekeepers with the hope of reaching a better result. which favours good wintering. wintering was better on deep frames like the Layens frame and the frame of 300 x 400 mm deep. they are as if in a continuous sleep. Voirnot's hive was a great step forward. and thus have need of sustenance. since. Previously. The same did not hold true in the brood chambers covered with canvas. Furthermore.000 cm2 in the Dadant hive. On the other hand he took the wrong track in replacing the super with frames positioned horizontally against the brood. the beekeepers' advocate. I also quickly noticed that in the brood chambers covered with boards or oilcloth. albeit smaller. After fifteen years of observations. the studies of Abbé Voirnot on the volume of the hive seemed interesting to me. who dines in that condition? With hives with warm walls. We preferred the 300 x 400 mm frame because it simplified our calculations. I had to make 350 hives. Not being able to draw a reasoned conclusion from the reverberating polemic in those days. by as much as 2 kg from November to February. But the Voirnot hive has 100 square decimetres of comb. they have to heat this centimetre over all the surface of the hive. Now. he suggested a hive design that is easy and economical. When the bees want to extend the brood downwards a centimetre. i. he created a good frame. I constructed hives with 9 Layens frames and hives with 8 frames 300 x 400. were significantly competing with it. with 300 x 400 mm frames. Not wishing to base my experiment on one or two hives. I believed I could draw the following conclusions. Finally we can draw the following major conclusion: the volume of the Voirnot hive is sufficient. Moreover.e. had reason to say that the Dadant hive demands too great an outlay of money and time. my first mentor in beekeeping. was right when he said Dadant's hive harmed bees because of its volume and that of its super. the other deep. Duvauchelle. 96 square decimetres of comb. To my great surprise. the bees are torpid. Wishing to understand the basis of this issue of the volume of the hive during winter. the end frames were quickly turning black and even rotting through the effect of the humidity. but on at least a dozen of each system. I would have the benefit of it. this shape facilitates the development of brood in spring. some deep and others shallow. his hive had only 8 frames 280 x 360 mm. thus 81 square decimetres of comb. therefore better. de Layens. Dr. These hives had a volume approximately the same as the Voirnot hive. 39 . Abbé Voirnot. even in cases of prolonged cold. one shallow. the bees' advocate. In single-walled hives.of view. It was the Congrès hive. However. I decided to adopt all these systems in order to study them. The single-walled hive thus economises on wood and stores. This is however normal. the bees are active for longer. It is clear that the work of the bees will be easier in our hive. Duvauchelle thus appears to adopt Abbé Voirnot's conclusions on this point. In other respects. the shape of a hive of eight 300 x 400 mm frames approaches the shape of a swarm and allows the bees to put more honey above their cluster. for the smaller the brood chamber the smaller is winter consumption of stores.
helped greatly by my knife in putting these starters in order. but I had only enough foundation for two hives. In our case there was another disadvantage too. We harvested the boxes full of honey at the top. But the cylinder is a shape that is hardly practicable. And bees cross over honey with difficulty. We did this work when each hive-body box came into our hands at the workshop. And my helpers frequently said: 'We ought to be able to saw this box in two'. In spring. We lifted off the upper hive to harvest the honey and in spring we put it under the inhabited hive. The People's Hive was thus designed. because there remains a little honey at the top of these frames. Harvesting was difficult. the bees did not always fill the top hive-body box with honey. generally two or three times more than in winter. but convenient for commercial use. The bees filled the upper hive with honey and installed themselves in the lower one. And if small hives with frames economise on winter stores and facilitate the development of brood in spring. However. I had empty hives to put them in. we started with cleaning the floor after having moved the hive without taking the top off. We therefore designed the People's Hive with fixed comb. From this action. a perfect hive. We have replaced it with two boxes giving the same volume with the same shape. It is unnecessary to uncover the hives to see what they need. Now we noticed that the People's Hive with fixed combs saved an extra 3 kg of stores compared with the People's Hive with frames. in order to avoid swarming with greater certainty. I settled for putting starters in the others as raw wax at the top of the frames. How was this to be done? Put a super on this hive? This was to fall back into the mistake attributed to the Dadant hive. and the People's Hive with frames. and. The square shape also allows placement of the hives warm-way in winter and cold-way in summer. weak or strong. In spring we placed one or more boxes underneath. We took away the others if necessary. We did the same with the one below.And yet eight frames of 300 x 400 mm. a hive that was ideal for winter. I thus had a hive of eight 300 x 400 mm frames. time wasting and chilling the brood. This enlargement can be done very early. gave a square shape. for all hives. But if the hive should be of reduced size in winter. an ideal shape because it favours the distribution of the heat in the inside of the hive. Place another hive-body box underneath as Abbé Voirnot did in his out-apiaries? For many hives. an order for 12 swarms was cancelled. Enlargement by one hive-body box placed under the other is also a big step forward. I thus decided to continue to use only starters of raw wax and I have never come to regret it. in summer it should provide the bees with the space they need. a hive with fixed comb will do it better because its volume is smaller: 36 litres instead of 44. But one evening. We neither cleaned the frames nor renewed the old comb. 40 . We had observed that the bees ascend with difficulty into supers placed above deep frames. but not convenient on a commercial scale because it does not allow the extractor to be used. We thus had two hives: the People's Hive with fixed comb. And I noticed that on these starters the bees constructed their combs as quickly as those on foundation and that these combs were more regular. something to be considered. At a convenient time we raised queens and supplied swarms. very superior to modern hives. every two years. all beekeeping work became simpler. inferior however to the People's Hive with fixed combs. without danger of chilling. the result was good. There was sometimes some brood at the bottom of the frames and some honey at the top. in providing us with the necessary surface. one or two. and left the following two boxes for wintering. And the square is the shape that best approaches that of a cylinder.
The entrance to the hive is made through the depth of the floor. At the top of the inside rim of the boxes. One could make the alighting board 410 mm long to strengthen the floor. Each box should contain eight top-bars (comb supports). On two exterior surfaces of each box are placed handles to ease manipulation. But all three boxes are the same size. we have searched for and ultimately found very simple cages which allow extraction of honey from fixed-comb hives by means of an extractor. opening the hive only once a year. on two opposite sides. These top-bars have the following dimensions: 9 x 24 x 315 mm. There should be at least three boxes. three identical boxes and a roof. for example glaziers' pins. This entrance through the depth of the floor is 120 mm wide and 40 mm deep if the walls of the hive-body box are 20 mm thick. The inside dimensions of them are 210 mm deep and 300 mm wide (length and breadth). respect for the laws of nature. Moreover. in any case less expensive – no frames or foundation.Since then. The boxes rest directly on the floor and one above the other without interlocking. These rebates are 10 mm wide and 10 mm deep. fewer inspections. there is a need to make rebates to hold the combs (top-bars). The alighting board is nailed underneath the floor in such a way that a piece 70 x 160 mm projects to the front. Therefore it is now the People's Hive with fixed combs that deserves everyone's attention. The third is added only for the nectar flow. 12 kg winter provisions instead of between 15 and 18 kg. The floor is the same size as the exterior of the hive-body boxes and is between 15 and 20 mm thick. Two boxes contain the brood nest in winter and spring. for the People's Hive with fixed combs is an economical hive par excellence: easy to build. thus no diseases. these top-bars are placed at a distance of 36 mm between centres. The resulting notch in the floor is closed with a piece of wood 160 mm square (alighting board). Between each of them there is therefore a 41 . The top-bars are fixed in the rebates with small pins. Construction of the People's Hive with fixed combs The People's Hive with fixed combs comprises a floor. The thickness of the walls of the boxes should be at least 20 mm.
gap of 12 mm for the bees to pass. There is also a gap of 12 mm between the end bars and the adjacent walls of the box. This space allows the entire comb construction. The roof surrounds the top box with a play of 10 mm. The roof contains a sheet of material which covers the top-bars, and a quilt. The quilt has the same length and breadth as the outside of the boxes. It should be 100 mm deep. Underneath the quilt is a sheet of coarse cloth. The square part of the roof will have the same depth plus 20 mm. This square part is covered with boards which at the same time serve as covers for the quilt. The angled part of the roof is empty and open on four faces. There is free passage of air at the top of the gables A (see p. 44, shaded area) and at the top of the eaves B (shaded area). We have said that the roof contains a sheet of material that covers the top-bars of the top box to stop the bees sticking the top-bars to the quilt. This sheet of material may be cut from used sacking. Its size should be at least 360 x 360 mm to begin with. To prevent the bees from fraying this sheet of material, it is moistened with flour paste. To give this sheet of material the necessary shape and size it is placed still wet on the box. When it is dry, it is trimmed following the outer edges of the box. If the final cut of the material is made before wetting it, it will subsequently no longer be possible to obtain the necessary size.
Hive-body box of the People's Hive: G – eight top-bars rest in rebates at each end. They are 24 mm wide and separated by a gap of 12 mm. H' – a coarse cloth covering the top box at all times; I – a metal mesh filling a slot in H; J – another piece of coarse cloth covering I. This fitting allows feeding with an upturned jam-jar. We prefer to use our large feeder. K – handle to facilitate manipulation. It is preferable to align it with the direction of the top-bars. Avoid replacing this handle with a notch in the box or a metal handle as manipulation would then be more difficult.
Flour paste
In order to make the flour paste, mix into a litre of water four or five soup-spoonfuls of wheat flour, or better still, rye flour. Boil it while stirring with a spoon until it becomes a thick, homogenous paste. It is good to add a small amount of starch to the flour.
Economy roof for the People's Hive
The sloping roof is more stylish. The one described here is cheaper and suffices. However, it is better to give the side pieces a width of 160 mm instead of 40 mm to enable them fully to cover the quilt which is 100 mm deep and to enclose the top box to a depth of 20 mm.
Cross-section of the People's Hive: Here the boxes are made of wood 20 mm thick. The lower box C is made of two sheets of 10 mm thick wood superimposed as can be found in old packing-cases. This is illustrated to show what can be done to economise. Other thicknesses can be used, but it is important to retain the internal dimensions of each box as 300 x 300 x 210 mm. F – the top-bars rest on battens. They are easier to make than a rebate, but they make it more difficult to remove the combs. E – the top-bars rest on one thickness of wood that forms the rebate. The starter-strips hang under the top-bars. Here the hive is covered with a cheaper style of roof. There is no quilt below it.
Floor of the People's Hive: The sizes given are for a hive whose boxes have walls 20 mm thick. The battens at A and A' do not have any fixed width if not being used with our cast iron legs. In the latter case they would have to be at least 60 mm wide.
Sloping roof of the People's Hive: 1 – Wooden quilt 100 mm tall. 2 – Coarse cloth fixed underneath the quilt to support the insulating material: chopped oat straw, sawdust, etc. 3 & 5 – Cavity permitting a continuous flow of air. 4 – isolating board that prevents access of mice to the quilt. It is fixed to the roof. 5 – gap formed by assembly of the wood.
Cross section of sloping roof 44
45 .Quilt: A – pack-cloth or old sacking. width and breadth 300 mm with a rebate of 10 x 10 mm. A – base. Economical sloping roof for The People's Hive: B – top. The quilt must have an exterior the same length and breadth as a box. The roof should enclose the quilt and cover the top box by 20 mm with a play of 10 mm to facilitate removal and replacement. The external dimensions may vary according to the thickness of the wood used. It is preferable to make it a millimetre less on all sides so that it will not trap water. The floor must have a maximum size the same as the external dimensions of a box. less 5 mm to facilitate working. Observation The basic rule in the People's Hive is to give each box internal dimensions as follows: depth: 210 mm.
These would be supported in between by some light brickwork. Both are important. As a result. furthermore they would run the full length of the hive. Colonies may be placed at 750 mm between centres. much less often than in general. when I advise them to place their hives 100 or 150 mm from the ground. I have seen such stands made from a framework whose wood would have been sufficient to make a double-walled hive. They do not want to bend down. it is a much smaller sacrifice that I ask of my readers. the hives are subject to variations in temperature and to gusts of wind. and not without good reason. Unfortunately. Firstly the height: beekeepers often make their hive stands tall. But I estimate that the colonies need only be opened rarely. Everyone likes to feel comfortable. buying or making such stands amounts to a significant expense. this 46 . Moreover. Placed on raised stands. I know very well that one can save money by using two light wooden beams or metal girders.Discussion of the People's Hive Ábbé Émile Warré Legs There is cause to examine the height and shape of the hive legs.
There is thus at each hive opening an untimely consumption of honey. however. Ground vegetation is the bane of bees. the bee can receive the rays of the sun until the last. and if the hive contains no other opening for ventilation underneath.arrangement is inconvenient in covered apiaries. But the wetness of the ground! A hive placed 100 mm from the ground is perfectly protected from this wetness. it finds darkness. It will often have time to rest sufficiently to be able to get back into its hive. It is not unusual that these brave workers return too heavily laden. When a bee falls into it loaded with its forage. but nothing to warm it up and invigorate it. Hive leg in cast iron Wooden hive leg that is fixed at each corner of the floor with four nails One can of course place a wide board coming from the ground to the entrance of the hive. Sometimes it triggers robbing and makes the bees angry. coolness. if the vegetation is removed. Raising the hives too high also causes a large loss of foragers. We can equally say that raising the hive protects the hive and its colony from moisture from the ground and its vegetation. But I hold that there should never be vegetation surrounding hives. 47 . miss the entrance of the hive and fall on the ground. and soon the cold. On bare ground. They climb only with difficulty into a raised hive. As soon as one colony is touched the rest take notice and begin to hum. It is an additional expense which still does not prevent the bees from falling at the sides.
What wood should be used for the floor? The thicker the wood the longer it will last. it is extra work that we do not want. isolates the floor from the ground satisfactorily and costs less. it is sufficient to watch their comings and goings during full nectar flow. The hollow brick could be replaced by two ordinary bricks placed flat. The floor The floor is for closing the hive at the bottom. In any case. in winter. But they may forget such surveillance. What should the bees' entrance be like? People have given it a length of the full width of the hive and a height of between 10 mm and 20 mm. a weak colony will thus defend itself more easily. whilst at the same time allowing access for both the bees and fresh air. if the wood is very thick it will be heavy to handle. A thickness of between 15 mm and 20 mm is a good and sufficient thickness. Of course. But we draw attention to the fact that we prefer that size to 200 x 10 mm which gives the same access mathematically speaking. otherwise they would sink into the ground. With these. With an entrance of 120 x 15 mm. It is not without reason that we have given the entrance to the People's Hive the following size: 120 x 15 mm. Clearly. We have perfected a hive leg that ends in the shape of a duck's foot and cannot sink into the ground. on top of each other. 48 . Cast iron legs are commercially available. Moreover they need repositioning from time to time. all the more so for it being reinforced by battens underneath. as the cast iron one.Obviously. which is 110 mm on its four faces. But these bricks allow a certain amount of dampness to rise and increase the amount of work needed. I am of the opinion that such a length. The supporters of big entrances say that they reduce them when necessary. To give access to such a volume of air. It simplifies manipulation and strengthens the base of the hive. This opening serves. A metal entrance has an opening of only 70 x 7. Moreover. bricks do not make the job easier as much as do our steel legs. We have also designed a wooden leg with the same characteristics. Moreover. Do not forget that a hive even in summer contains only 30 to 35 litres of air. But what shape should these stands have? Do not consider using beams to support several hives at once. it is more economical and can be made without any special tools from wood off-cuts. only for ventilating the hive. we reduce this entrance further. However. This kind of brick. the hive floors are well isolated from the ground. which goes beyond 400 mm in certain hives. so to speak. all the more so because this volume of air should not be replaced without reason. We have given reasons for this in the preceding. It is therefore sufficient and preferable not to make the stands taller than 100 mm. These legs can be replaced by a hollow brick. During the course of the summer the population may diminish and not be able to defend itself on such a front. is definitely harmful. the bees have less distance to cover. if it is too thin it will not resist bad weather or the knocks it will receive for long. The opening is also sufficient for ventilating the hive: passage of fresh air to replace the lighter air leaving at the top. the short legs make it easier for the re-entry of the bees surrounding the hive who have lost their way.5 mm to prevent the entry of rodents. Furthermore. To confirm this. apart from its strength. in winter there are not that many bee sorties. the entrance of 120 x 15 mm is enough to allow passage of the bees even of a strong colony. We will discuss this again under 'Ventilation'. it is not necessary to have a large opening. but such feet have the fault that they also require one to use a tile.
The volume of the brood chamber should nevertheless be adequate.Why then put mesh covered openings in the floor. place them on stands and then deal freely with the floor. they act on the fecundity of queens only by delaying its manifestation. as with the Dadant hive. Such an opening allows dampness from the ground to rise more easily into the hive. It should allow accommodation of honey for winter stores. An opening opposite the entrance above the floor makes defending the colony difficult. even in hives said to be automatic. would detach bees from the cluster and they would come to a certain death on the floor. they are useless. of the bees under the honey. Big hives thus do not make strong colonies. they are harmful. But these partitions are inconvenient for several reasons. as the bee eats not only to nourish itself but also to warm itself. A large hive also has the inconvenience of keeping bees in on the first fine days. For the beekeeper this is a loss that quickly doubles the price of his hive. clean it. because the entrance I have described above is sufficient for ventilating the hive. a further cause of dissatisfaction amongst the bees. the brood chamber comprises two boxes. Here. And this is each year. a time when they would be able to find a lot of pollen and a little nectar outside. they impede the free distribution of winter stores. All evidence shows that bees consume more in a large brood chamber than in a small one. I even venture to say that the difference is between 3 kg and 5 kg. all moving of partitions uses up the beekeeper's time and cools the brood chamber. for its volume should be as small as possible in order to reduce the consumption of stores. These floors are always difficult to clean. as with the People's Hive. Furthermore. we prefer the floor whose description we have already given. In autumn. in winter. The two boxes are then replaced on the floor. Partitions (follower/division boards) can of course be placed in big hives to vary their size. Without uncovering these boxes one can lift them. above all wax moth. Now bees meet violence with violence. An opening on the floor is always a collecting place for wax and bee debris. The hive body comprises two easily manoeuvrable boxes. 49 . and the laying by the queen in spring. There is no danger of crushing bees nor of chilling the brood. Furthermore. it can be seen that the floor is always fixed to the hive body by very different methods. They are useless. to 55 litres. check if it is level. It might also create an air current which. clear the ground underneath it. a sure hiding place for insects. It is important to consider in principle the volume of the brood chamber. Brood chambers vary from 36 litres. When the various hive systems are studied. If they do not fit close to the walls. Brood chamber The brood chamber in a hive is the part that contains the colony and the winter stores. For our People's Hive. if they do fit close they are stuck with propolis and require a sharp bang each time you want to move them. leaving some openings opposite the entrance above the floor? All these openings complicate construction of the hive and increase its capital cost.
who studied this issue the most. whether from frame to frame or on the same frame. But he stopped at a square frame of 330 mm because he attached considerable importance to the cubic shape of the brood nest. They can be shallow as in the Dadant. This is the best arrangement for wintering. Around the edges of the cluster. They are referred to as moveable when they are enclosed in a wooden frame. install themselves underneath the honey. or deep. The Layens frame and the deep Congrès frame gave us good results. It is this that explains how bees on long. having created a hive of 280 x 360 mm. and allows them to insert the head of their cluster in the stock of honey. there is really only life at the top and at the centre. we had a winter consumption 3 kg more than in fixed hives. Combs are described as fixed when they are not surrounded by wood and because the bees fix them to the walls of the hive boxes. we frequently find a width of 300 mm and a depth varying between 600 mm and 800 mm. as movement takes them towards the warmth which is always greater at the top of the hive. Duvauchelle. In addition. In framed hives. But. In many skeps. it equally enables the bees to put their honey at the top of the hive. as in the Layens. half dead. was convinced that small hives are better. Later he enlarged his hive and gave it 9 frames of 300 x 400 mm with 96 square decimetres of comb. whereas that of the fixed-comb hive was 36 litres. they move easily vertically. because the frames increase hive size. concluded that 100 square decimetres of comb suffice in winter and early spring. But because they are fixed with wax they are in fact more moveable than moveable combs fixed with propolis. therefore 80 square decimetres of comb. or square. We too have confirmed that these two masters were right on this point. During cold periods. And the square shape. frames are expensive. contributes well to distributing the warmth in the hive. All the bees. But they do not have sufficient strength to leave the cluster. This showed his approval of Abbé Voirnot's conclusions. our first beekeeping mentor. on the other hand. we presented two People's Hives. The combs can vary in shape. The diameter of the cluster of bees hardly varies more than one or two centimetres from one hive to another. just as our head is inserted into our hat. they cannot easily move horizontally. as in modern hives. Firstly. because only there is there sufficient warmth. from bottom to top. Dr. as we have already said. This width also permits us to give the hive an elongated shape (vertically) like a cluster of bees. In the winter cluster of bees. And Abbé Voirnot. after that of the cylinder. 50 . We have preferred the fixed comb for several reasons. one with and one without fixed combs. where bees have lived for centuries. But the framed hive had a volume of 44 litres. the bees are torpid. it is true. And we said previously that big brood chambers harm bees and beekeepers. a width of 300 mm allows a square brood chamber to be set up. pass in their turn to the centre of the cluster to warm themselves and to feed. Earlier. Abbé Voirnot thought he had failed to improve the Dadant frame. often useless. frames increase the volume of the brood nest. Furthermore. But we should note well that they only really remain moveable on condition that they are cleaned every year. as in the Voirnot.But it should be noted that in winter and at the beginning of spring the needs of the bees are appreciably similar in all hives. and. They had widths of 310 mm and 300 mm. shallow frames can die of hunger beside an abundance of stores. Combs The combs may be moveable or fixed. They both had the same number of square decimetres of comb. because the colonies differ little in strength.
I consider the gap a fault. all the warmer for being deeper. these 51 . just as in early spring. In large apiaries there are always some unoccupied hives whose boxes are available. These two depths one above the other have all the advantages of a single depth of 400 mm. The People's Hive is thus a small hive in winter. for the bee. I adopted combs of 200 mm. and moreover small beside the advantages that result from this arrangement. is the heat that is enclosed. especially in small apiaries. referred to as divisible hives. They can be fixed to the floor and to each other by some article of ironmongery or simply by two nails linked by plain steel wire. It is therefore wise to have at one's disposal several supplementary boxes. it may have its inconveniences in summer. This gap suits the bees in winter as it facilitates communication within the cluster of bees. But the dissipation is minimal in the interior of the hive.The cubic shape of the hive outside may be taken into consideration. This is why bees go up into supers sooner in hives with shallow frames. cannot extend the comb where its body is. what is important to consider above all. ekes). However. This arrangement gives a space of 13 mm between the boxes. and not shallower ones. there may be a band of honey at the top of the frame. the bees themselves would create holes across the combs as they do in the frames of other hives. or several of them. It should be noted that the boxes are placed on top of each other without any interlocking. The deep frame is superior not only in winter but also in spring. In the People's Hive. If the gap did not exist. to avoid difficulties for the beekeeper at the moment of putting the winter stores in order as well as avoiding increasing for the bees the number of these gaps in the middle of the brood chamber. and this on two or three surfaces. it must heat this centimetre over all its surface. being the thickness of the bee body. Now this heat presents itself there as layers one on top of the other. because the bees have to heat it almost wastefully in spring. But bees greatly dislike crossing over honey. It is a single fault. an even smaller fault than that of modern hives where the bees have uselessly to heat very much greater voids.000 cubic centimetres in the Dadant hive but only 900 cubic centimetres in the People's Hive. because enlargement is made at the bottom. With the People's Hive we regard this supplementary box as a minimum. we have the advantages of a deep frame without its disadvantages. The number of boxes necessary varies with the wealth of nectar production in the region and with the fecundity of each queen. Barring movement of the hives. when working with its underside in the air. as is generally done for hives with tiered body-boxes (supers. These 13 mm comprise the 9 mm of the top-bars and the 4 mm gap left by the bees at the bottoms of the combs. We have had colonies occupying seven boxes. However. in summer they want a bigger hive comprising the brood nest and an additional box. If there is a residue of stores. but in summer it can be as big as the biggest of hives. It will have to heat 2. Hive body If a small brood nest is adequate for bees in winter and early spring. when there have been some small amounts of nectar coming in. because it reduces the surface of the hive and as a result the heat dissipation. They rise with difficulty into the super and often prefer to swarm. This is why I adopted a width of comb of 300 mm and two depths of 200 mm. And these layers of heat are deeper the less wide they are. If the deep frame is greatly advantageous in winter. When a colony extends its brood nest by one centimetre. thus they re-warm the bees all the better if the combs are not so wide. In the brood chamber.
A thickness of 20 mm is sufficient. There is less play in the wood at this thickness. to have the straightness both on the exterior and the interior. But at night. more than from those with thick walls. they sometimes absorb moisture and cease to be insulators. In addition it is almost impossible to retain the enclosed air that should be an insulator and thus useful. Certainly in snowy weather. in straw or osier. It is a lot more economical and does not require professional tools. the bees go out sooner in the mornings because they sense more readily the ambient temperature. As insects often hide in the straw. 52 . In winter they do not economise on stores. The walls The most healthy walls are those of the old skeps. Certainly. On the contrary. if single-walled hives are more susceptible to the ambient temperature by day. A coat of white oil-based paint can. cool in summer and permeable at all times. is the condition of life. they are equally susceptible to the cold at night. A thickness 24 mm is preferable only from the point of view of strength. as Pourrat said. If 60–70 mm nails are used and wood that is somewhat seasoned. rodents and bad weather. a ray of sunshine makes a few bees go out from hives with thin walls. These walls are warm in winter. Otherwise rain collects on projecting parts and cleaning the inside will be more difficult. Unfortunately there is too much play in it. And let us not forget that comfort weakens the stock. of no value. Wood is more resistant to insects. the presence of the bees compensates for the lack of warmth. Furthermore. In spring they delay the bees foraging sorties. Moreover. we prefer wood planed on two surfaces. Furthermore. it will be satisfactory. old. They do not keep the humidity in. the bees join them with their propolis. Thicker walls increase the weight of the hive and its capital cost. adversity its climate. be quickly given. Some settle on the snow or on the alighting board and die there. without driving the bees out. those bees that do not come back in again are probably weak. We thus settle for wooden walls of 24 mm thick. the insulating walls do not achieve their aim. The weight of the boxes does not allow the wind to move them. covered with daub. We prefer butt-jointed construction. because we need the regularity of a square form. rodents attack more readily. In practice. They attenuate variations in temperature. we give preference to wood. in such hives. thus straight. the bees consume less when they are torpid with cold than when they are kept active. that striving. Theoretically white wood is preferable. moreover. Furthermore. The insulating materials that can be placed between two boards are often expensive. In practice we prefer Jura pine (Abies alba). The cluster of several thousand bees is not noticeably reduced. Wood requires less monitoring and maintenance. Some prefer half-jointed construction. In any case. Double walls have the same disadvantage.measures are of no use.
so its contents can easily be renewed. Boards are impermeable and require force. Furthermore. The quilt is not closed. augment or reduce. adding to or removing from the cloth the propolis that they deposit everywhere. as with conventional ones. 53 . Furthermore. even when the hive is exposed to the sun. it is permeable to the heat of the sun. everything we put on the hive is propolised and as a result sticks to it. If the old insulation is spread around the hive it suppresses weed growth. I had the occasion to see some light military buildings. Quilt The quilt is 100 mm deep and not 50 mm. A board painted every two or three years lasts a long time and does not have the faults of bituminous felt or sheet metal. It is under this type of roof that I have observed a more regular temperature. But additionally. because it absorbs the hive's moisture more easily and conducts less of the outside heat to the hive. Creosote. In this operation. This propolis allows the bees themselves to ventilate the People's Hive as they did in the old skeps. We may therefore only look for an easy way of removing it. The underneath is covered by a cloth. I am not in favour of sheet metal. Furthermore. We take it by one left corner and pull it horizontally to the right. when one wants to lift them. there is no shock and we only uncover the part we want access to. peat. I am not in favour of this. The roof was also formed from two planks or from two overlapping sheets of metal. I prefer painted wood. the void is too big for cobwebs to be able to stop the circulation of air there. A high-ranking officer who had lived long in the colonies told me that military tents were designed on the same principle to combat the heat of the sun. But the top is open. Cloth On top of the top box we place a simple coarse cloth. We prefer this cloth to oilcloth and to boards. When one has sawdust or chopped straw at one's disposal it can be renewed annually. bituminous felt often traps moisture out of sight which rots the board that supports it. a shock. The design of our roof is thus well established according to rules dictated by experience. For. At the battle-front. chopped straw. the main quality of this cloth is its permeability that the bees can modify. let us not forget. The bees get angry. Yet our cloth peels off easily. I prefer white paint that reflects heat. is not suitable because of its smell and above all because of its colour. pieces of it can be put to use in the roll of paper for the smoker. It is filled with sawdust. It is good to renew this cloth frequently. Oilcloth is impermeable and does not peel off as easily as plain cloth. or any other light material that is absorbent and poorly conducts heat.The roof The roof of the People's Hive is arranged in a way such that it contains a large void at its top. Furthermore. In rainy weather or hail it produces a sound sufficient to disturb the bees. which is undoubtedly the best wood preserver. in any case stir it often to keep it dry. Moreover. It is an expense. The air circulates rapidly and freely in this void. that we often get from pieces of old sacks.. Roofs are often covered by bituminous felt.
and because the walls of the People's Hive are never very cold.Ventilation Moisture is generated in any hive by the life of the animals and by the evaporation of nectar. This opening is too big for the bees 54 . because the top of the hive is always warm. the moist air passes down the walls and the outer combs and produces moisture and mould. but one wonders how beekeepers dare to give such advice. This is certainly a radical means of avoiding mouldy frames and walls. This stale. The stale air is quickly stopped by the oilcloth or crown boards and continues to surround the bees. However big the entrance may be. it does not cool down quickly. Reaching the top of the hive. This escape of stale air draws in fresh air through the hive entrance. the bees are closer to the top.5 mm hole. Detail of the entrance: P – 6 x 6 mm hole. the fresh air does not enter the hive because it is not drawn in by the departure of the stale air. but the cloth lets it pass and be taken into the quilt. There is also stale air resulting from animal respiration. Having condensed. the fresh air enters only slowly but continuously. In other hives this ventilation does not take place in the same manner. This stale air will then continue to occupy the top of the hive. Ventilation in such hives is insufficient or absent. to renew the air in the hive and without making the bees uncomfortable. for in hives bigger than the People's Hive. due to the shorter distance between them and the bee cluster. This stale air extends as far as the walls and condenses on contact with them as they are further away from the bee cluster and thus cooler than the walls of the People's Hive. humid air is warm when it is in the cluster of bees and thus it tends to rise. For some time I have seen people advising the cutting of an opening of several centimetres in crown boards covering the hive. O – 70 x 7. As this escape of air is continuous and under the control of the bees.
The entrance to the hive can be readily reduced without squashing bees and gives them. which would. or of 6 x 6 mm allowing passage of only one bee at a time to feed or when there is a risk of robbing. this is to facilitate adherence of the wax.to be able to close it. because it increases the sale price and that makes selling the product more difficult. what we have said about the construction of the People's Hive is sufficient to show its advantages from the point of view of economics. 55 . On the other hand. This can only be at the expense of the bees and their stores. Beekeepers should adopt this principle. There is thus a continuous current of air through it right through the winter season. It can be cut out of an empty food can. In any case. as required. Give to them what nature gives to you in excess. it is preferable that the three other surfaces are planed in order to make it easier to clean them. But how can we get the maximum profits from beekeeping? Let us not rely on import restrictions Relying on import restrictions is often an illusion. unfortunate brothers who have no experience of beneficent work. Furthermore. This profit should be the aim of the beekeeper. We prefer to give it a thickness of only 9 mm so that it never projects out of the 10 mm rebate of the box. The bees can no longer control the escape of air through this opening. They will avoid at the same time the annoyance of the sale of honey at a loss and they will come to gain from beekeeping the highest possible profit. an entrance of 70 x 7. Now. such protectionism is often a mistake. people are advised to prevent them doing so. It is not impossible that in the future the sale price of honey will be fixed around the price of sugar. Entrance Our entrance is one of great simplicity. We have brothers. It is therefore important to try to produce it for as little as possible. Top-bars The top-bar (comb support) has a width of 24 mm. none do it only for its profits. Furthermore. And just as no beekeeper says that for him beekeeping is only a hobby. The propolisation of these three surfaces could even be reduced by coating them with Vaseline or oil. Initial conclusions Beekeeping is an industry Beekeeping can be profitable. moreover. because political parties are opposed to it. make its sale a lot easier. Let us look at the economy Industrialists have the principle: produce cheaply to sell easily. do not forget.5 mm to prevent the entrance of mice and shrews. it is preferable that the top-bars are not planed on the lower surface.
However.5 mm between the frames and the walls. The frame alone is time consuming and requires care. Its fire-box is not big enough so it has to be fed often. and of burning unattended for a quarter of an hour. Economy through its size The shape and the volume of the People's Hive guarantees the minimum consumption of honey whilst at the same time allowing the bees to develop normally. it is necessary that at manufacture there is a gap of exactly 7. It will not give a strong smoke flow when it may be required. There are many different types. When there is more than 10 mm. Economy through its design It is clear that the People's Hive is sufficiently simplified for any amateur to be able to make it with an ordinary set of tools. This is difficult to achieve and maintain. In any case. Each person may choose according to both what they prefer and the fuel they have available. This smoker also has its disadvantages. its clockwork makes a noise that does not please the bees of the colony being 56 .We will see later that the method applied to it is as economical as its construction. It is not the same as a framed hive. Frame bars have to be very straight. It works by clockwork. The Layens smoker has the advantage of giving a gentle steady flow of smoke. Our indications generally suffice. only one pattern will be necessary. There has to be a gap of 7. the most popular smokers are the Layens and the Bingham. all things which necessarily reduce the production of honey. As usage and temperature cause variations in one direction or the other. the volume and the ventilation of the People's Hive give the bees a healthy home where they are saved from over exertion. When there is less than 5 mm. weakening and disease. Economy through its hygienic properties The shape. the bees stick the uprights and walls together with propolis. In either case there is no longer any mobility. Furthermore.5 mm between the frame uprights and the inside walls of the hive. the bees construct comb in the gap. Equipment Smoker The smoker is the most essential piece of equipment for anyone wanting to get involved with bees.
the old one is removed from the smoker and the cinders that have accumulated at the bottom are tipped out. so a new one can be inserted when the remainder of the preceding one is still there. in any case to remove the last bees from the combs to be taken. Many beekeepers do not use them. Let us consider the two main ones: the fabric net veil and the metal one. By means of the veil they will feel safer and more confident. this brush should be of traditional design and of the very best quality. Most beekeepers. In this smoker use rolls of corrugated paper or cheap cloth (from wrappings. like the Layens.opened. to guide the bees. the Bingham smoker is the most practical. still less those in the next colony. In dry weather the rolls burn too quickly. They can be moistened a little. Otherwise it catches on the bees and annoys them. In my opinion. especially beginners. so they can be inserted easily. it is a good idea to put a piece of it in the smoker roll. and it only uses up a small amount of fuel without. going out. Brush A brush is useful to the beekeeper. If there is an accident. From time to time. old sacks). These rolls must have a diameter a little less than that of the smoker. In this way. it does not. the clockwork is rather fragile which makes the Layens smoker very expensive. before inserting a new roll. All beekeepers. It gives a gentle flow of smoke when required. it is lit once. annoy the bees. entirely of natural silk. ought to possess at least two veils. Veil A veil is not absolutely necessary. these veils will be useful. When the top-bar cover-cloth impregnated with propolis is renewed. They then burn more slowly and give more smoke. And these veils should always be to hand during all work on hives. It fits well in the hand. one must put the dry part in first. Of course. Their length should be two-thirds of the length of the inside of the smoker. Where possible. 57 . It helps. But there are lots of different veils which do not all have the same usefulness. One can also put in small pieces of propolis. even for difficult operations. one for themselves and one for a helper. Finally. there is no lack of smoke and the smoke never contains sparks. so they will work faster and with greater skill. The partly burnt roll is reinserted and supplemented with a new one. wear a veil for all beekeeping work. with the smoker. however. above all the small model. however. and a dense and abundant one. The brush should be kept very clean and never be used when wet to avoid it sticking to the bees. When not in use and stood with its nozzle in the air.
Black veils increase heat the most. But it has the disadvantage of making the operator's head feel hotter and impairs his vision. Veils made of metal mesh 58 .Fabric net veils The fabric net veil has the advantage that it does not take up any room and it can be put in the pocket. White veils cause least increase in heat and most impairment of vision. and impair vision the least.
then another strip of cloth. The battens B'B are simply to link and fix the ridged battens. or it may be free and tucked under the braces (A and B). As with the other veils. the strip of metal mesh is added. They also need to be 100 mm longer than the boxes so as to make it easy to place the box on them. or under the topmost garment (G). To make it stiffer all round. A'A'. going beyond 3 mm. There is no need for a hat with this veil. F). there is often a need for one or two stands to put the boxes on. B). The top of the metal veil is closed with a pleated cloth (E. On the other hand. This veil requires the wearing of a hat and makes one hotter than a veil entirely of metal mesh. or it is tucked under the topmost garment (C). The metallic veil is less portable than the fabric net one. At the bottom it is also closed with an elastic band which encompasses an upright collar or is fixed with a button (D). Stands In various beekeeping tasks to be done with the People's Hive. the metal mesh that is used for making food safes is suitable. the second strip of cloth can be tucked under the braces (A. a combination veil can be made (H) . The picture shows how it is made. Veil size varies according to its support. or under the topmost garment (G) or as in C. Black metal mesh that is covered in varnish is available. it is a good idea to attach a thin piece of steel wire to the top and to the bottom of the metal mesh while one is attaching the cloths. in the other hand it is less inclined to make one hot or impair vision. In this case it cannot be carried in the pocket. The top of the veil can also be attached to the rim of the hat. To make it. usually a hat. At the top it is closed with an elastic band which encompasses the hat. In any case. The stands illustrated in the figure B fulfil this purpose perfectly. It then has the disadvantages of the metallic veil without any of its advantages. Finally. B). The metal veil is extended at the bottom with cloth that can likewise be tucked under the braces (A. This is the best. Galvanised mesh impairs vision. however. and according to the head of the wearer. Black mesh is preferable. one can always choose a net of a larger mesh size without. B: Batten stands for boxes (hive bodies) Note that the battens A'A' are ridged at the top so as to avoid crushing bees. The height and diameter of the veil are in proportion to the head of the beekeeper.Black net can be put at the front and white at the back. 59 . The veil should leave a gap of 50 mm around the head. it is more secure on the head. A strip of cloth is attached to the rim of a hat. At the back of the veil is placed a strip of cloth to provide shade and also to cover the ends of the wires of the metal mesh (F).
called toolboxes. Here we speak of our special feeder.Hive tool This hive tool is made specially for cleaning the tops of the top-bars which are always coated with propolis. above all when getting the hives ready for winter. Hive tool The hive tool is also for separating the boxes and lifting them. Furthermore. one for tools and the other for comb debris and hive tools. the latter compartment covered in order to avoid triggering robbing. Toolbox Beekeepers at work need a number of small objects that would be difficult. Special feeder We have indicated elsewhere several ways of feeding the bees. it is necessary to cover the scrapings and comb debris in order to avoid robbing. This is why boxes are made. to have to carry in the hands. as it can be of great service to beekeepers. not to say annoying. Autumn feeder 60 . of different shapes according to the preferences and needs of each beekeeper. The curved part can be used to lift the top-bars when the honey is harvested. The main thing is to have two compartments.
allowing the syrup to pass into the compartment where the bees come to feed. the quilt and then the roof. This feeder is the same size as a hive-body box and has a volume of 11 litres. B. It is rare that a colony needs a supplement so great.This feeder is made of painted wood which makes it superior to metal feeders. under the cloth that covers the top-bars and the quilt. If comb debris is used instead of syrup this board is removed. a sheet of glass is put over the feeder and allows one to see what is happening. without letting them drown in the syrup. and to stimulate comb building in weak colonies. It rests in the rebates and on the board B without allowing the bees to pass into the trough. This feeder is placed above the hive body. one can use an ordinary table knife if it is very thin and cuts easily. This feeder is placed above the brood chamber and not below it. One feeder is enough for 12 hives. On the feeder is placed the cloth that covers the top-bars. Uncapping knife Before putting combs in the extractor it is necessary to remove the cappings which close the cells whose honey is ripe. For. To carry out this work. Advice Same advice regarding construction as for the large feeder. D. 61 . we have another feeder. resting on battens. With metal feeders. 60) A. This board is removed when giving comb debris instead of syrup. Board of 50 mm wide with a hole in it allowing refilling the feeder with a funnel. C. Its design also means it can be filled without smoker or veil. With the wooden feeder. One night thus often suffices to complete the stores of one colony. it is important to feed rapidly. Fixed board held by a batten and covered with metal mesh leaving a 20 mm wide clearance at the top. Advice Put some good quality paint in all the joints during assembly. Repair can only be done by a specialist. Spring and summer feeder To feed colonies that are short of stores in spring and summer. Inside is a vertical. Fixed board. its moveable part at the back of the hive. A layer of paint when it is dry is all that is needed to make it disappear. special for the purpose. it is serious and could drown the bees. It will hold 200 g syrup. A sheet of glass is positioned to one side of this board completely covering the feeder. This feeder is housed in a hive-body box of the People's Hive. The small feeder is placed on the floor under the hive-bodies. moveable board held by two nails at its base. if there is a leak. Give all parts two or three coats of paint. However. Moveable board between battens resting on the bottom with two round-headed 2 mm wide nails allowing the passage of liquid but not the bees. (see p. a knife with a cranked handle. In any case. it is better to use an uncapping knife. there is never more than a seepage. as combs are sometimes irregular.
C.Spring and summer feeder A. Frame having the external dimensions of a hive-body box and a height of 2 mm more than the frame in C. Extractor 62 . Frame forming drawer. width 150 mm. B. Trough 20 mm deep. Float made of 9 mm wooden rods side by side. External dimensions: length 250 mm. D.
but the honey goes through the mesh and rains against the sheet metal wall of the tank at the bottom of which it flows out through a special tap. Choice of extractor I do not advise trying to make an extractor with a tank and gearing of some kind. A four-cage extractor can extract the honey from a hive-body box of the People's Hive in 12 minutes. The wax is retained by the wire mesh. do not meet the needs of beekeepers. it should be noted that this extractor is really designed for an apiary of 12 to 15 hives. brings about a centrifugal force on the comb. commercial extractors are often no better made. This extractor can be placed on packing cases or hive-bodies. However. has another advantage. A rotating movement. ours like the others. horizontal parallel extractor. especially during transport. We disagree that this is an advantage as we favour frequent renewal of comb. Useful extractor We are of the opinion that our ordinary single-sided extractor would suit all. also of high yield. Or here and there are folds that cannot be cleaned out. It is better that it is assembled by a professional who is a fairly good engineer and a bit of a beekeeper. It is taken to the apiary with two or four cages according to the apiary's size. Some people also see in the use of the extractor a means of re-using comb. The combs are placed in wire mesh cages in the middle of a drum which is usually of tinned metal sheeting. Its parts enable the uncapping of combs without breaking them during different procedures. The workers who make them do not always know what they are for. That is its main advantage and it is that which all inventors have sought to improve on.Extractor The extractor is designed to remove honey from the combs with greater speed than by draining under gravity. 63 . It is therefore essential to choose an extractor that is well constructed. It helps the movement of the cages and protects the beekeeper from a strong current of air. It is sufficient for extracting in a single day the honey from 30 hives which is the maximum number one can have at a single location. and saving honey and wax for the beekeeper. at the rate of a kilometre in three minutes. Despite its size it goes through the smallest doorways. Without doubt an extractor saves the beekeeper time. We have ourselves made a double-sided. This extractor. Several years ago someone invented a large number of extractors of different shapes. Moreover. For a smaller apiary. Strength is not always where it ought to be. but always intended for making a good yield. but require of them a very considerable investment and encumber them the year round. A cover is also advisable. We are of the opinion that all these extractors. we advise using another means of extraction. The first honey to enter them rusts them and contaminates all the honey that subsequently passes through the extractor. It is better to buy the three-legged type. or of saving work for the bees. which is a rare feature.
gauge 5/10. size 290 x 395 mm. Holes of 3 mm at 3 mm centres. There is no solder. size 260 x 365 mm. Double cages are always used in pairs. Holes of 3 mm at 3 mm centres. A simple cage suffices. They allow time to be saved during uncapping and extraction. There is no solder. are bent after cutting the corners. Cage 2: perforated metal sheet. gauge 5/10. Cage 3: perforated tinned metal sheet. There is no solder. the sides 20 mm are bent after cutting the corners. the sides 20 mm wide are folded after cutting the corners. gauge 5/10. Lugs are inserted on opposite sides by making two cuts in the folded sides.Cages for uncapping and extraction These cages are extremely useful. These cages are essential for extracting fixed comb with an extractor. Cages 2 and 3 constitute the double cage. and even from the comb fragments from skeps. The sides. Having a pair would allow a helper to uncap while the extractor is running. 20 mm wide. Cage 1 (simple cage): metal sheeting fully tinned. 64 . They support the most fragile of comb and allow the uncapping and extraction of comb from fixedcomb hives. size 275 x 380 mm.
the hive can if required be pointed west or north. Anyway it prevents bees from going out as it forces them to ventilate the hive. It is thus absolutely necessary to shade the hives from the sun with trees: peach. in order to gain steadiness of purpose. Orientation The bee's greatest enemy is the midday sun. buddleia. It is best to face the hives east. Gloves I must mention gloves. And all that causes the bees to get angry. board or sheet of metal a barrel or jar fitted with a tap. because they are more cumbersome. pieces of cork or pebbles. They are useless because they do not stop the sting of an angry bee even if made of leather. and no more so regarding the place accorded to them for the hive that shelters them. He may then work with more confidence. The sun rouses the foragers earlier. However. or with sunflowers. in the interests of both bee and beekeeper. The tap is adjusted so that it drips and keeps the sand wet. even harmful. It should even be said that the more gloves appear to guarantee against stings. accordingly around his hands. The apiary Bees are not very demanding. Drinker Bees know how to find the water they need. Gloves are of no use. Jerusalem artichokes. The helper may puff some smoke from the smoker at the place where the operator is working.. However. certain comments should be made about the apiary. it is not without advantage to put a drinker close to the apiary. The slab is covered with sand or fine gravel. destroys combs and drowns bees. the more they cause them. If this orientation presents difficulties. pear. They are harmful because they make movement clumsy which always causes crushing of the bees by rough and sudden movements. Amongst beekeeping equipment can be found poultry drinkers which are also suitable for bees. etc. These comprise a bottle upturned on a metal plate. ask his helper to puff a little smoke on his hands from time to time. The horse is only used with the extractor and cages. never south. They are then completely safe. The plate can be covered with moss. but do so to speak ill of them.Uncapping horse We present below a picture of it and its method of use (page 117). etc. apple. It melts the wax and the honey. The novice beekeeper may. Place on a slightly inclined slab. 65 .
that at least 50 hives will prosper within a radius of three kilometres. the bees are none the worse for it. I believe that certain by-laws require a distance of 20 metres. If there is a wall in front of the hives and if it is two metres high.Size Hives may take up only 750 mm. a hedge living or dry without gaps. the chamber of deputies adopted without debate a proposition drafted thus: 'Single article. or in several parallel lines facing the same way or in 66 . if the hives are placed 750 mm centre to centre. The scale of this legislation does not allow me to present all of it. At a lower angle they are inconvenienced. The bees recognise their hive perfectly. worth remarking that most of the regulations specify no distance if there is a solid fence etc. However. Distances The negligence and imprudence of some beekeepers has resulted in by-laws about distances that should be maintained between hives and public thoroughfares or private land. We therefore advise having an open-air apiary with separate stands. It does not matter at what angle the bees take wing. It is. the entrance to the hives should be at least two metres from the wall. Therefore the appropriate number is very variable. These by-laws are for the locality. In its sitting of 18 November 1925. two metres tall. Layout We have already mentioned the difficulties of a covered apiary (opening hives is more difficult) and an open-air apiary on shared stands (the colonies are often agitated. But the beekeeper has more ground to maintain without any profit. It can be found at the headquarters of each département. however. In general the distances to be maintained vary from between four and six metres. Of course. They are placed in a single line. even in a big apiary. This apiary has none of the problems previously mentioned and it is healthier for the beekeeper. whatever the wealth of nectar in the area. which makes them angry and makes them consume more of their stores). This is exceptional. the number of neighbouring hives should be taken into account. What is given here indicates the size that the apiary should be and the number of hives that will fit on a given piece of land. hives are not subject to any specification of distance when isolated from neighbouring properties or public thoroughfares by a wall. fence of joined boards. 45 degrees can be considered a minimum angle. 'These enclosures should have a height of 2 metres above ground and extend at least 2 metres to each side of the hive. If the hives are spaced out more than this. however. An example will make this comment clearer.' Number of hives The number of hives in a single apiary should be in proportion to the nectar supply in the locality and the number of hives already installed there. community or département. – Paragraph 3 of article 17 of the law of 21 June 1898 is amended as follows 'Whereas. It has been estimated.
Otherwise the swarm belongs to the owner of the land where it settles. This would be an additional expense for him and extra effort which would not be paid for in harvested honey. The beekeeper can plant some ornamental nectar-bearing plants near his hives. and try to convince his neighbours that the more melliferous a plant. Beekeeping legislation Ownership of hives Article 254 of the civil code: are property by intended purpose when placed by the owner for the service and exploitation of the estate. As it is resistant to the first frosts. 67 . He will then sometimes have a chance to follow the work of his bees close at hand. especially if one sets it oneself. Planting forage The beekeeper cannot provide his bees with enough flowers to keep them busy. or simply grow a Virginia creeper along steel wires.. however. it can be sown until 15 August to be green for the livestock at the end of October and the beginning of November. To be supported by his bees. at a rate of about 150 to 160 grammes an are (square decametre). It germinates after fourteen days and flowers six weeks later. one may find that having this paving-stone is worthwhile. The beekeeper should be convinced. Under the hives can be an 800 mm wide concrete paving-stone. The beekeeper will. or in a horseshoe shape. no matter where (even on another's land) so long as he has not stopped following it. He may also wish to recommend such plants to his neighbours. the beekeeper would have to sow large fields. bee hives. If he has to plant things in his garden or in a neighbouring area of cultivation. Growing phacelia could also be considered. and wallflowers near his apiary. snowdrops. and if he wishes follow up his advice with giving them some seeds and a pot of good honey. find it worth planting some crocuses. It thus allows successional sowing and provides melliferous flowers when there are none in the area. It reaches a height of 60 centimetres and remains in flower for five weeks. Ownership of swarms Article 9 of the law of 4 April 1889: the owner of a swarm has the right to take it. taking account of what was said in the section 'Orientation'.. A light roof may be put above the hives. the greater its benefit for the farm animals. He needs to rely on the growers in the vicinity. It can be sown in spring. he will of course prefer melliferous plants. These flowers supply his bees with pollen in early spring when it is as yet in short supply.opposite directions. Growing lavender can be doubly remunerative. If it is considered that the pavingstone dispenses with pulling up weeds round the hives and checking their level in spring.. etc.
We recommend that all beekeepers take out accident insurance. Cardamine (lady's smock). plum. rockcress. bramble.Interference with bees Article 10 of the law of 4 April 1889: it is not permitted for any reason to disturb bees in their travel or work. broom. mischief by neighbours or passers-by can cause accidents which. Sorbus. thyme. aquilegia. On the other hand. briar. selfheal. thorn-apple. These plants are not all harmful to bees. Lucerne (alfalfa). verbena. brassicae. sweet-chestnut. scabious. cherry. honeysuckle. peach. Finally. varnish-tree. belladonna. etc. stonecrop. stock. dogwood. sainfoin. In the kitchen garden the following could be left to flower: carrot. might cost the owner of the bees dear.. foxglove. angelica. henbane. catmint. or green manure. 68 . Caltha spp. The following trees are also melliferous: apricot. mignonette. even in cases of legitimate seizure. hives may be moved only in December. phacelia. poplar. elder. Melliferous plants On the following page we give a list of melliferous plants which can be cultivated as green or dry forage. Beekeeping associations give a complete guarantee for a minimal premium. January and February. rose-laurel. apple. hemlock. acacia. thistle. mallow. pine. the following are never allowed near the apiary: tobacco. horse-chestnut. borage. hop. In ornamental gardens the following could be planted: aquilegia. snapdragon. Accidents Blunders. ash. the bees find the following plants growing in the wild: hogweed. rosemary. fir. autumn crocus. willow. holly. toad-flax. dandelion. olive. maple. ivy. as a result. goat's rue. hellebore. monkshood. black medick. pear. orchids. but their alkaloids pass into honey which then becomes dangerous. before the law. lavender. sweet marjoram.
Jun Apr .10 35 35 60 15 .end Aug plant Feb .200 200 220 18 .end Jul Aug . clay. calc.end Jun – Jun .-clay.Aug Apr Sep . -clay – clay. calc. calcareous clay calcareous. calcareous gravelly calcareous clay heavy. -clay. 7-8 6 .Sep Jun .Plant name Soil preference Time of seeding winter rape spring rape crimson clover clover hybr. silic.-silic. fresh sandy.end Aug Apr .end Jul May .200 100 200 160 .-clay.20 8 .end Sep – May . silic.Jul – Mar .20. 10 by suckers Time of harvest (*) Feb . gravelly siliceous-clay calc. deep light.Oct autumn & spring Sep .-clay light.Oct Mar . siliceous clay deep calcareous clay sandy. siliceous. calc.8.Sep Jun .May Apr .Jun following year Jun . calc. siliceous. fresh.Jun Mar . tonnes per hectare of green forage from to 12 25 18 30 18 25 – – 18 50 20 40 18 30 – – 15 25 15 35 10 20 15 50 15 20 12 25 8 20 – – – – – – 26 12 20 80 * subject to change according to circumstances 69 . sandy barren land.end Apr Apr .end Mar Mar .end Jun April .end Sep May . Alsike winter vetch hairy tare/vetch red vetchling (L.-clay light. -clay humic Aug-Sep – – – Sep . -clay light siliceous calc.end Oct Oct onwards Yield.Nov May .mid Nov Apr .20 160 .Oct Oct Mar .end Jun – May . 4 25 (de-husked) – 180 .end Oct Jul .200 160 14 .11. cicera) winter fodder pea spring fodder pea faba bean black medick spring vetch lentil white mustard summer rape spurrey French serradella buckwheat gorse comfrey calc.May Apr .Apr Seed amount per hectare (kg) random in rows 10 .
since in them there is only one queen to pay for. Such an investor will be using capital wisely and will know how to make it grow. The time to buy The best time to buy and hive a swarm is at the beginning of the nectar flow. Artificial swarming is to be preferred. because of the distance and the temperature. The box was placed in the middle 70 . Also. You should always ask the supplier to proceed as I used to when I was doing breeding. Relative to frame beekeeping. The trustworthiness of the supplier is therefore of great importance. As for those he has had delivered. by buying swarms. It can be done when you want. Beekeepers' swarms Beekeeper's swarms are best. At this time there is hardly any risk of having to feed the swarm. there is more likelihood that the colony will be healthy as well. you must depend on the honesty of the supplier. it would only be worthwhile buying swarms in so far as the beekeeper has some completely drawn comb and stores to give them. These hives will give strong swarms. The queen was shut up with some bees in a box as if she had been sent by post. buy swarms after having made sure that their source apiary is not infested with foul brood. gather its stores for the winter and even. Queen For the presence and quality of the queen. in melliferous years. in these hives. Finally. It is capital invested in the society of the beehive. the beekeeper has an interest in continually selecting in his apiary. by buying a skep. they can be kept an eye on. The weight of the swarm You always buy a swarm weighing 2 kg.Buying colonies The hives can be filled in many ways: by artificial swarming. when you have no other option. only one lot of postage and packing. The swarm loses weight on the journey. If the production of wax costs nothing during the nectar flow. In the following months. a strong colony in a hive gives best results and largely compensates for the initial expense. Besides. Proportionately it costs less than a swarm of 1½ or 1 kg. It is done on colonies you know to be fit and healthy. something which is becoming rare. because they are the most productive if the beekeeper practices continual selection in his beekeeping and if he delivers his swarms in good condition. When you are starting up you cannot do artificial swarms. it costs a lot at other times. It is difficult to work out the original weight on arrival. fixed-comb beekeeping is not invaded by foul brood to the same extent. As far as possible buy skeps. giving a good harvest. you can transfer them by driving at the best possible date and besides. at a time to suit you. and even most economical. on the contrary there is every chance of seeing the colony settle down quickly. In fact.
Only the most vigorous male can reach her. the indigenous race suits beginners. On arrival. It is at the same time that the methods that add to this exhaustion were propagated. but it is also at the same time as the introduction of framed hives. The indigenous race has a blackish-brown body. And I must also warn beekeepers that lots of breeders. The Italian bee is also more prolific. And neither do I find that this liveliness of the Italian bee makes for more robbing. the Italian bee has two golden yellow bands around the abdomen. a selection through choice of breeding colonies. if they make. another quality which increases her productivity. even without using stimulating nourishment that is so costly and harmful. as he should always do. The Italian bee has a longer tongue. but only two are very widespread and deserve attention: the indigenous and the Italian. The queen who hatches first. the buyer only has to take the box containing the queen. The bees will find their own way to surround the queen. more active. You can do this at any time and you will not compromise the honesty of the seller or the competence of the buyer. The Italian bee is more lively. This selection would be too costly for breeders. going against the selection that nature herself would have made. In a queenless colony. but does this liveliness increase her nastiness? No. on the one hand.of the swarm of bees. That is possible. In my opinion. they are. Races There are a large number of races of bees. through another concern. In order to be mated the queen takes to the air and flies to a giddy height. It is the Italian race that I recommend to all beekeepers and it is of little import if they do not keep their racial purity: it is not necessary if you are not doing breeding. It is to bad framed hives and bad methods that we must attribute the development of foulbrood. Apparently. I even find the Italian bee to be more docile than the indigenous bee because she understands quicker what the beekeeper demands of her with the puffs of smoke from the smoker. They isolate the royal cells before they hatch. The bees do not escape. the work is made easier. consequently the strongest. If the 71 . And I am of the opinion that the indigenous race would be excellent if it was selected. What a mistake! On the contrary. the most vigorous. In years of poor nectar flow. During more than twenty-five years. so that the beekeeper at times has to reduce. just as the indigenous bee should be treated. as the Italian bee has been. where the bee wears itself out to no purpose. she can visit more flowers. will kill the others before they are born: it is a harsh selection. not if she is treated as she should be. the Italian bee has all the qualities needed to fight this disease. Nature even allows for selection at the time of the queen's fertilisation. In this way. we began to recognise foulbrood at the time when Italian bees were introduced. she has the advantage of the indigenous bee. placing it in the hive if it is a question of getting the queen accepted. Occasionally I read that the terrible foulbrood is attributed to the Italian bee. There are no causes for its origin other than overwork and enfeeblement of the stock. on the other hand. the neighbouring hive entrances where the colonies are weak. because they will not have too much capital outlay before proving their own capability. the bees raise between 10 and 15 queens. I have studied the most widespread bee stocks. It is an important quality. They keep fifteen out of fifteen when nature would only keep one out of fifteen.
as there will not be any. Price The price of a swarm varies depending on the breed and its weight at the time of delivery. If these breeders really carry out a selection. If not.queen from an artificial swarm is less vigorous. In general. and who does not feed his bees on sugar. wipes out the production from a good colony which would have given 20 kg of honey some weeks later. you give a 2 kg swarm to a People's Hive. Furthermore. Because you must envisage that: 1. even the following year. if you closely follow our method of destroying weak colonies and building up the best colonies through artificial swarms. In practice. 2. A big mistake A bee journal has published the list of breeders to whom a special allocation of sugar had been made. This price is justified because the breeder. at the end of August. You have to give it at least 100 g of syrup every day in the summer when there will not be any nectar flow so that it can build up the necessary combs for a good overwintering. After the nectar flow. in selling the swarm. 72 . you will have a harvest in the first year. is inferiority. Swarms on frames Certain breeders supply their swarms on brood frames. foulbrood among others. if at the beginning of the nectar flow. you have to introduce a swarm of at least 4 kg. not enough food and unfinished combs. There again. this selection will be cancelled out by this abnormal food which would inevitably contribute to the weakening of the stock and set up favourable conditions for the development of illnesses. A swarm of indigenous bees is worth 25% less. buy Italian bees from a breeder if you can get them from one who proceeds according to the old rules of selection and breeding. you have to make up the stores by occasionally providing from between 10 and 12 kg of honey. to the point where it is better than the Italian breed of modern breeders. the swarm does not have the same value. one estimates that a swarm of 2 kg of Italian bees is worth. This race will soon be improved. it is best to put up with the indigenous bee. it will not be able to prosper. In contrast. at the beginning of the nectar flow. The frames are not always exactly the same dimensions as those of the purchaser. 3. It is true that the brood allows the bees to raise a queen if theirs has been killed during the journey or during the hiving. I should point out that to get the same result with a Dadant. but the egg-laying of this queen will be very late and the swarm will arrive in autumn with too small a population. This practice is not without problems. because the bees will not be held up in their work by looking after the brood. the price of 20 kg of honey (gross) postage and packing extra. It will be difficult for it to survive into the spring. In any case. she can be reached by a less vigorous male. even if he has hives of the same name – the weight of the swarm is difficult to verify. The brood does more harm than good. and more than in the following years.
there must be a gap of 7. The frames will not always have the necessary qualities. you can use the following scale: A swarm of 2 kg occupies 18 litres if it is hot weather. It allows you to have a very strong swarm at the time you want with bees that are definitely healthy. even in the People's Hive. Time You will more easily find skeps in autumn than at any other time. but in March you no longer run the risks of the overwintering. Between the frame uprights and the sides of the hive. 9 litres if it is cold. no breeder can guarantee the shipping day. Hived any later. The following year. You must not forget that such swarms. it is necessary to hive a swarm of 2 kg. To estimate their weight when they are hived in skeps without combs. you need a swarm of 4 kg. In the Dadant hive. they will not have built enough necessary comb for the development of brood. Such precision is rare. The frame must be positioned in such a way that this gap is never reduced or augmented. Swarms on frames Populating with swarms on frames has the same inconveniences as populating with plain swarms. It has other disadvantages too. the swarm will still not give the owner satisfaction because in the spring.5 mm. the swarm will not build complete combs and will not make winter stores. In fact. have their highest value only on the first day of the main nectar flow. to get a good outcome. The wood of the frames must be carefully planed to facilitate cleaning. You would need to feed them to keep them alive. Moreover. You only need pay half the price for such swarms as you would for others. because a swarm of 2 kg enfeebles their hive. Otherwise there will be sticking and the frames will no longer be mobile. In fact. Skeps To populate hives. a swarm has no value. 73 . Such swarms do not have the same value as those which come from the breeders' apiaries where selection is undertaken with knowledge and continuity. after the main nectar flow. especially at the time of suffocation (sulphuring). the purchase of skeps is the simplest and often the least costly.Natural swarms It is possible to find swarms from neighbouring beekeepers. Plain swarms The most honest sellers will rarely want to give swarms of 2 kg. one particular day is best: it is the first day of the main nectar flow. like the others. Now. They will give scarcely 1 kg 500g of bees. and between 13 and 14 litres if the temperature is average.
In March. if it is 40 litres.Volume Only buy large hives. these same hives will not weigh more than from 15 kg to about 8 kg. This procedure ensures greater adherence between the skep and the fabric (old jute sacking). Packing Pack up the hives towards evening. For that. Packing 74 . They must be at least 30 litres. It is important that the combs are built right to the bottom. You rarely find this. Weight The skep should weigh (gross) 20 kg in the autumn. held in place with string. Wrapped up like this. In March. The tie-up is right at the bottom of the hive. gaps where bees could be trapped and squashed or suffocated to death. only violent shocks to the skep will be a matter of concern. Join the crosses through similar boards of a length equal to the height of the skep. Here is a better one. A good skep would have a diameter of 300 mm with a height of 800 mm. the opening above. fix some strips of wood to allow for air circulation. In place of the string. use some fine pins of 40 mm which you push into the straw of the skep by hand. Underneath. a hive of 15 kg contains about 8 kg 500 g. which will allow for big populations before they swarm. after having smoked them. you pack it in wood. If the skep has to go by train. 15 kg if it is 30 litres. In these conditions. We have shown one method of packing. The dimensions of the skep vary according to the region. There will be fewer gaps between the material and the skep. But they will have at least as much value as in autumn since you will not have to worry about them overwintering. the skep will be kept upside down. The address and 'live bees' labels are then fixed on afterwards. these hives will not weigh more than about 15 kg and 8 kg 500 g (gross). A 25 kg hive contains about 12 kg 500 g of honey. Price The price of the skep is also based on the price of the honey which it contains. make up two crosses from boards measuring from 100 x 100 mm of a length equal to the diameter of the skep. thus avoiding suffocation of the bees. Put them in a coarsely woven cloth. preferably 40.
Then cover the whole thing with a roof.Transport Transport of skeps must be undertaken with gentleness and care. keep them in the shade. If the skep weighs very much more. they should be sent by hand. If it is necessary to feed in cold weather. To resume: on an ordinary floor. Next day remove the cloth. Fill a small bottle with syrup. in its first year. While waiting till you are able to put the hives in place. Installing the skep Very occasionally. For that. In that case a box with drawn comb becomes essential. The hives must be put down in the evening in the place where they are going to stay. since you will have it to hand. You now have only to wait for when the bees are driven (transferred). For preference. it will have the grave disadvantage of not leaving enough space for the development of the spring brood. mortar etc. Do not forget that the small feeder can only be used when the bees go out during the day. Cut the string and allow the cloth to fall. On this box put our special board. It can provoke an early swarm and prevent driving (transferring) the bees at a good moment. three months after its hiving. If it is possible. you must employ other means. you must feed it. skeps have a capacity of 40 litres. close them up with daub. Because skeps come in different sizes which do not conform to the square of our hive-body boxes. This populated skep will give a swarm of between 2 and 3 kg of healthy bees. You will be able to drive the bees into a new hive to suit on the first day of the main nectar flow. in any case in soft-sprung vehicles. 75 . place a box with starter or drawn comb. there will be fewer breaks in the comb if they are lined up in the direction of travel. Because from January onwards. a box with drawn comb if you have one. you will find it better to use our special adapter board which fits on a hive-body box and can take skeps of any size. under the box. in order to avoid a spring-like swarming before driving the bees. it is good to place the skep on a hive-body box with wax starter. and as soon as the state of the colony demands it. with tarred paper etc. Illnesses are rare in skeps. travel has the same effect as stimulatory feeding. For this reason. If there are bee spaces between the skep and the special floor/board. or better still. before installing the skep. It is best to transport skeps in the autumn. you place a small feeder on the ordinary hive floor. Place the skep in the very centre of this board. if you have followed my advice. to protect it from the rain. You use this feeder when the temperature allows. preferably in a cool and dark place. Close the neck with some fine material tied on with string. In such cases. it will give an abundant harvest. Feeding If on the arrival of the skep you find that it weighs only 18 kg at the end of October or 15 kg in February. Make a hole in the top of the skep and place the upside-down bottle into it. you will have practised the method which I call 'pioneering'. all the more so because.
But how do we get the bees from the skep? By beating. place a box. you place some hives or preferably bait hives high up. Here is how you proceed in order to asphyxiate the bees: Place 2 g potassium nitrate in a bowl. But in this case it is necessary to kill one of the two queens. In the hive you place several old combs. You can also collect passing natural swarms. Work as quickly as possible throughout this operation. Smoke through the lower opening until all the bees have come out. because it spoils his hive. For that. In order to do that you use our queen cage. and add enough water to dissolve the salt. If there is significant piling-up of bees. as we described in the section 'Driving (transferring) bees'. etc. This operation is described further on. In the evening. It is good to rub the inside of the hive with a clump of melissa or with some propolis dissolved in methylated spirits. without bothering with the brood. as it can catch fire easily. In the box you have a swarm which you deal with in the same way as any other. First you must have at your disposal. That leaves temporary asphyxiation. It is true that you can often unite two driven colonies. It is thus necessary to operate in September. if not. a People's Hive box. preferably of honey. This will rarely be possible in September. To succeed in forming a good colony with these bees. will return to the site. How do we take them? Operate at the beginning of the main nectar flow. Lift the hive and gather the bees.Driven bees Several manuals advise populating hives with driven bees saved from suffocation/sulphuring (chasse or trévas). Dry the fabric at some distance from any heat source. you must feed them so that they can build comb and afterwards complete their winter stores. or arrive late. Natural swarms It often happens that natural swarms establish themselves in the hollows of trees. at least the old ones. in old thick walls. The temperature will not be warm enough. there are several conditions. nor to replace those which will be killed during the operation. 76 . for each driven colony. stores that will quickly be taken in. If these swarms are weak. two complete boxes of drawn comb. Put some old bits of cloth in the liquid. because there will not be any brood to increase the number of bees. and upwards of 12 kg of stores. Afterwards you harvest the honey and the wax that the bees have left. This work is rarely remunerative. Above the top opening. Besides. spread them out so that they can breathe straight away and will not drown in their excrement. the other below. Lightly tap the hive to make the bees fall. It is also necessary to operate with strong colonies. You can place the swarm nearer to its original place if at first you keep it in a cellar for three days before it is hived. the owner of the skep will not always allow beating. enough to absorb all the liquid. the swarm must be transported at least 3 km away. Make two openings if there are none: one at the top of the place occupied by the swarm. the bees. near the apiary or near a wood etc. because the potassium nitrate will have given them violent diarrhoea. Set light to the cloths below the skep after having covered them with a metal sheet so that the bees do not fall into the flames. because in October there will not always be very many warm days where the bees will be in a condition to take in the stores. some pieces of old sack. In that case give it a little food.
Comment The more passes with the brush. especially in summer. Obtain a sponge and a basin in which is dissolved one part of honey to two parts of cold water. In this way. When the wax has set sufficiently. and repeat this several times. Place the topbar B against the template A (see diagram). Here is how to proceed in putting the starter on the top-bar. or having ends of top-bars of 36 mm wide. The result is better and proceeds more rapidly. They cool while work continues. the thicker the starter strip. It helps to have several templates. move it rapidly along the interior side of the lath and the middle of the top-bar. Hold all of it in the left hand and slope it from back to front as in C . Be careful not to wet it. Step 3: fit the lath on the top-bar so that the two pins rest against one of the sides of the top-bar. They look good when they emerge from the workshop. We prefer this method to fixing with toothed racks or bent nails. 77 . Once the top-bars are thus in place they are fixed in the rebate with a small headless pin such as a glazier's pin. long pins. as in C. Step 5: remove the lath Step 6: turn the top-bar round and pass several strokes of the waxed brush along the other side of the starter. To ensure this is the case. pour a little liquid wax on the top-bar. one of the sides of the lath will be in the middle of the width of the top-bar. This is our preferred method. run a little wax down the other side of the starter. Second method Prepare a lath-template with pins to hold the top-bar and cover it as far as its centre. The latter constitute an expense and make cleaning very difficult. Step 2: take a top-bar. otherwise the wax will not stick to it. First method Make a lath the length of the starter to be made. Obtain a pan to melt the wax and a calligraphy brush. In the middle of the width nail two thin. Step 4: dip the brush in the melted wax. Using a spoon in the right hand. it is necessary to put a wax starter-strip of about 5 mm under the top-bar. Put a bit of water in the pan so the wax does not burn then add the required amount of wax. but no longer so when they come out of the hive. then place the top-bar in the hive-body box.Preparation of the hive So that beekeeping tasks are quick and easy. which should always be moistened. remove the top-bar with its starter-strip D. it is important that the combs are straight and pointing in the same direction. Step 1: take the lath and wet it with the sponge soaked in honey-water. Its planed size is 15 mm thick and 24 mm wide.
Template and top-bar. Top-bar with starter strip of wax. Again. Template for positioning the top-bars and retaining them while nailing. 78 . D. To put wax starter on these two top-bars it is sufficient to brush the projecting parts with melted wax. Third method This method is a lot simpler but it requires top-bars that are more difficult to make (see illustration). The top-bar is bevelled. Template for putting starter-strips on top-bars. C. it is important to position the ridge of the bevel in the middle of the top-bar and make its projection 3–4 mm below the bottom edges of the sides.A. They will always be sufficiently impregnated with wax. B. The tongue should be only 3–4 mm tall and right in the centre of the top-bar. The top-bar has a tongue like tongue-and-groove flooring. Top-bar. Thereafter the top-bars need only a rough cleaning.
and detach the wax by cutting along the length of the bottle. The bottoms cut off are not useable and are re-melted. and both sides stuck to the bar by running a little melted wax along them. the wax strip inserted. Ridged top-bars Fourth method Top-bars can also be fitted with strips of foundation. a thickness of approximately 10 mm and a width of 15 mm. One then obtains on the bottle a thin layer of wax which is easy to thicken by repeating the operation several times in succession. Here are two methods for making wax starter strips. But several can be placed end to end. Drench the bottle with cold soapy water placed in a bucket and wipe it lightly with the hand. i. A groove could be cut in the top-bar. Method 2: Put some cold water in a flat bottomed bottle (Vichy or Vittel type). Dip the bottle in melted wax for one or two seconds and remove. clean water. Using a knife. There remains on each flat surface of the rod a strip of wax of 15 mm x 290 mm. The more times the wooden rod is dipped in the wax. the thicker the wax strips. Do not forget to dip the bottle in soapy water each time a new sheet is started. this groove is difficult to clean out.However. Run a little melted wax from the side that is exposed. 79 . The rod can be held by two nails or pins placed at its ends. a shorter wooden rod can be used which produces shorter wax strips. though better still with plain wax that can be made oneself. If wax or a receptacle of a sufficient volume is not available. Remove the rod and run a little wax from the other side. detach the bottom of the wax adhering to the bottom of the bottle. Do not forget to melt the wax in a bain-marie. without a cloth. to remove excess water. as we have said. These strips of wax can be fixed to the top-bars in different ways.e. cut the wax off the whole width of the wooden rod. if some is available. Place the wax strip in the middle of the top-bar and hold it in place with the fingers or a rod. Method 1: Make a well-planed wooden rod with a length of 290 mm. which is a defect. dip the latter in cold. The cooler the molten wax the thicker the wax strips. We prefer to proceed otherwise. I should warn that these two top-bars slightly increase the waste space between each storey of top-bars. The depth of the sheet is determined by how deeply the bottle is dipped in the wax. As a result. When the wax round the rod has cooled sufficiently. Quickly immerse the wooden rod in melted wax once or several times and remove it immediately. Oil this wooden rod or briefly dip it in water. Usually a thickness of 2 mm is sufficient. at a sufficient speed such that the preceding layers do not melt.
Beekeeping procedures Before going into the beekeeping procedures carried out during the course of the year. so as to facilitate the adherence of the wax. It is also necessary to stop to deal with the smoker. Tool-box The beekeeper should be accompanied by a tool-box. They will have greater steadiness. In doing so. All this debris. They will do without it later when they are experienced with bees. 80 . we must give some words of advice. the beekeeper and his helper must nevertheless keep a veil close at hand to use in case of accident. In this box he will also place. unplaned. Stands When the beekeeper handles the hive-bodies he will equip himself with stands to put the boxes on the ground. Helper All beekeeping tasks can be performed alone but it is often necessary in such circumstances to put the smoker down or work with only one hand. they always annoy the bees. which would then require cleaning. because it can be done continuously. Smoker It is possible to perform some operations without a smoker. do not forget that it is with their full agreement that bees give honey. aegre spicuta'. As a result the work is slower and bees end up by getting annoyed. wax. For. He will find in this box all he needs for his work: rolls for the smoker. if left accessible to the bees will attract them and provoke robbing. honey and even propolis. However. Novice beekeepers should always wear a veil. Otherwise there is a danger of squashing the bees and getting the underside of the boxes dirty. But people are always wrong to do it this way. This would result in time wastage and danger of hurting and annoying the bees. i. The reason why they are obliged to use their sting is because they have been allowed to believe that we are their enemy: 'sponte faons. Veil All beekeeping work may be carried out without wearing a veil. the fragments of comb. hive-tool etc. and without danger of robbing. which is something that should be avoided. If they are observed.e.Note It is important that the undersides of the top-bars are always rough. you will come to work quickly without stings and will always have gentle bees. So it is better to have a helper who keeps the smoker going and who can smoke the bees more gently. the scrapings.
A pipe. The propolis is put into a compartment in the toolbox. etc. And during the heat of battle everyone becomes an enemy: bees.The smoker is for warning the bees. Robbing If a piece of comb or simply a little propolis is allowed to fall on the ground. Assured of having food at their disposal. Propolis Propolis often prevents the beekeeper from being gentle and expeditious. gentle in his words and movements. Propolis inside the boxes cannot hinder our work because we almost never touch the interior. to avoid risk of robbing. The bees of the hive being worked on then defend their property and fighting breaks out. Each time we open a box we must pass the hive tool along the rims of the walls and top-bars. the beekeeper will tend to become expeditious. the neighbouring bees come to look for the small amount of honey that is there. In this way. cigar or cigarette can often replace a smoker. The fighting increases. The smoke warns the bees that something is about to happen. one may come across angry colonies that are difficult to approach. however small. He will work quicker and better remember the observations he made during his work and take note of them. Here are some methods of calming them. Apparently they are always successful. beekeepers. they are less aggressive. they eat honey. passers-by and even the most peaceable animals. gentle in the manipulation of the smoker and the boxes. It is not the same thing with the propolis between the boxes on the rims of the walls and on the top-bars above the combs. The bees respond to the beekeeper's gentleness with gentleness. Prudently. Furthermore. You may take the attitude that you will not use a smoker. Perhaps the honey inside them stops them bending as easily to insert their sting. but without stopping being gentle and without becoming rough or violent. all his attention will be on his work. The hive tool is well suited to this task. The bees then try to enter neighbouring hives to continue to gather honey. children throwing stones. you would be making a mistake nonetheless. Angry colonies As a result of accidents. for speaking to them. calming them. for long manipulations annoy the bees and certainly cool the brood. in a word. directing them. Gentleness and speed The beekeeper must try to be gentle in the vicinity of his bees. 81 .. Silence The operator will chat as little as possible during his work.
However. 85). I have never had to use these methods. Cover the hive and a quarter of an hour later you may proceed normally. Accordingly. the first task is to send two or three puffs of smoke into the hive entrance. With a spray containing clean water douse the colony lightly. the method of doing so varies somewhat. it is advisable to try any of the following: sucking out the venom. the second task should be to wait for the sound of the bees humming before opening the hive. Populating the hive A new hive can be populated with a colony from a variety of sources. rubbing it with pear leaves or parsley leaves. With natural swarms Do this also in the evening. Stand beside the site to receive the colony and proceed as for a transfer (driving bees). 82 . see p.First method: Open the hive. send smoke through the mesh vents. as would be the case with a skep. This light rain sticks the wings of the bees and impairs their movement. the worst tempered. First task In every beekeeping operation. doubtless because with the People's Hive there is never a need to carry out major operations inside the hive. Put an empty hive in its place. This hive will receive the old bees. With swarms from breeders Work in the evening towards sunset. Second method: An hour before the hive opening. or as we show on the engraving below. But before starting. only use this method if the temperature is 20–25°. You will see the bees climb up. Stings If by chance you are stung by a bee. sodium hypochlorite solution (bleach). move the hive some distance away. Then place the box containing the swarm under the first box of the hive after removing its covering (instead of the skep that you see inverted in a bucket in the illustration. These will then return to their hive. Work on your hive and then replace it after having moved the hive with the old bees to one side. ammonia solution. Then. at sunset. smoke the bees. Place the swarm right by the site that the colony will occupy and proceed as for transferring (driving) bees from a skep containing wax and bees. You proceed thereafter as described for driving bees. Second task In every beekeeping operation. instead of beating the box with the swarm.
This is removed after the operation.With skeps This method of populating hives is so frequent. Driving (transferring) bees Several methods of transferring or driving bees are recommended. placing one hive above the other. instead of saving time. But we will present only one. in fact wastes it. Even in melliferous years. the beekeeper may proceed in the same way after having removed the lid or the bottom of the box. the beekeeper carries the swarm to its final place. A completely empty hive-body box is placed on the hive to serve as a funnel. that we have devoted a special section to it: transferring (driving) bees. Despite this precaution. An hour before sunset. above all with novices. After the harvest. Add to that the fact that with this method it is a long and difficult task to monitor the combs when the bees are building them. For a breeder's swarm received in a swarm box. No superimposition Superimposition. this way. 83 . if the nectar flow is insufficient. it is necessary to feed them in order to make-up their stores and also to make them build comb. He inverts the hive-body box so that it is open at the top. because in this month it is easier to reduce the height of the basket and combs. no earlier. The swarm has been received in a skep. the installation of bees in a new hive is often inadequate. As a result. should ideally be used in March. If there are bees left in the skep he shakes it again and again pours the bees into the People's Hive. He vigorously shakes the skep to detach the bees and pours them into a People's Hive as he would grain. This ensures the reliability of the method. the bees stay in the skep and do not enter the new hive. It complicates the work instead of simplifying it and often fails to achieve the aim intended.
Method To transfer bees by driving. In the two weak colonies there are two groups of bees kept at the hive for cleaning it and incubating and feeding the brood. Moreover. 1. It is thus only a disadvantage to transfer the brood too. Leaving the brood in the skep with a few bees or giving this brood some bees from another colony by exchanging places just increases the number of weak colonies. – from 11 a. Moving the skep of bees to be driven: The helper very gently sends some smoke into the skep. When the bees are humming. it will be easy for you. This can be verified by hefting the hives or when there are natural swarms in the area. a bucket or receptacle of some kind able to receive the skep. the date cannot be fixed because it varies from year to year and from place to place. One is often obliged to use asphyxia. In a strong colony. as we will describe. to make increase with less difficulty and less risk. and that you should prepare in advance a hive comprising at least two boxes. to 3 p. preferably at 11 a. 85). If it is done too early. Also.m. the honey and the wax is used as at harvest time. see p. a single group is retained for each of the three aforementioned jobs inside the hive.m. If it is done too late. and places it upside down on a bucket. using artificial swarming. the beekeeper takes the basket and moves it some distance so as not to be inconvenienced by the foragers or bees from neighbouring colonies.m. (solar time). The brood will be destroyed. cold hive containing a handful of bees risk this brood dying of cold. 1. and 3 p. if you have honey. The brood retains workers in the hive and stops them taking part in the nectar flow. only the bees should be used. between 11 a.. when the nectar flow is over. four sticks. For two weak colonies never produce as much as one strong colony. a box or a tub. at least part of it? This could lead to foulbrood in the apiary. Furthermore. Note well that this should be done: – at the start of the nectar flow. And in addition. an empty hive body. a useful brood is lost and it causes production of brood that hinders yield. would not putting brood in a large.No driving at all in March Transfer should not be done in March. part of the nectar flow is lost. carry out all of the procedures indicated below. driving the bees is slow and difficult. Never total transfer When bees are transferred by driving. 84 . or at least it would definitely retard brood development. It also causes the brood to be chilled. At this time. The operation is done on a fine day after a preceding day of fine weather. Date and time of driving Bees should be transferred when the main nectar flow has begun. – in fine weather.m. one is often obliged to feed it.m. It is important that the helper smokes the bees as little as possible during this procedure (Fig. It is clear when the nectar flow has begun when a few kilos of honey are seen coming into the hive.
The beekeeper lifts it up and the helper smokes it abundantly. Note To check for the presence of the queen. The beekeeper places the first hive body on the skep of bees to be driven. avoiding any shaking. They have a watch near them. although at the same height. in B. almost near the rim of the skep. the cloth over the topbars of this box is attached with pins (Fig. Installation of the new hive: Where the skep was.2. 4) and then the roof. until the first inspection. 4. They beat near the bottom of the skep in A (formerly the top of the skep) for three minutes. before putting the first hive-body box on the second. The beekeeper places the first box on the second. in C. the bees will have climbed into the hive-body box. Then the beekeeper and his helper beat for three minutes higher up. The beekeeper takes the box with the bees and carries it to its final position. Dismantling the skep from which the bees were driven: The beekeeper and his helper return immediately to the skep from which the bees were driven. Placement of one hive-body box on the skep of bees to be driven: The helper smokes the bees sufficiently to avoid them getting angry. The honey is extracted. they beat for three minutes. During the procedure. 85 . When he lifts it up he will notice white eggs on the cloth which confirm the presence of the queen. the beekeeper and helper place a hive comprising a floor. 6. The helper puts the quilt back on the two boxes (Fig. 2). 3). The helper removes the quilt covering the second box and puffs the smoker into it gently. Putting the populated hive-body box in place: If the operation has been done in the way we described. the second hive-body box and the quilt (Fig. Provisionally. The wax is rendered as soon as possible and the brood destroyed. The skep is dismantled in a place inaccessible to bees. 5. 3. especially if he notices robbers present. Beating: The beekeeper and his helper sit at right-angles next to the skep so as to be able to beat it in four different places. in the middle of the skep. after this beating for nine minutes. neither more nor less. this hive will receive the foragers from the skep. Finally. the beekeeper puts it down for a few seconds on a dark-coloured cloth.
Inspection of doubtful colonies The helper puffs smoke into the entrance of the hive. First case: You are familiar with the queen and your frames are still mobile.e. Colonies under observation – those where you do not see bees coming and going and those where you see bees entering. The colonies of the first category will be subjected to the 'spring visit' (see next section). Beat as for a skep and. but without pollen on their legs. The inspection of the other colonies is carried out as follows. At midday the queen is always at one side or other of the brood nest. 86 . Find the queen. the other to the left. after removing the roof and quilt. in addition. If in eight days you see no more pollen coming in to this hive. while the helper smokes the top of the top box gently. Second case: You are not familiar with the queen or the frames are not mobile. using paper or cardboard. one day to the right. you see a cluster of bees in the hive. cleaning the floor. The good colonies will in their turn be subjected to the spring visit. one may have a framed hive to drive bees from. Here is how to proceed. Second case: In proceeding as described in the first case. Conclude that this colony has died out. The colonies of the second category are observed again eight days after the first visit and classified. Replace the cloth and the quilt and proceed directly with the spring cleaning. Using a bee brush. Rating colonies Time Rating colonies takes place in April in the Paris region. First case: During the operation. Cover the parts of the framed hive. at a temperature of 12–15°. and 2 p. sweep the queen with her bees into the new hive. Put a hive-body box of the People's Hive on top of it as before.m. the beekeeper scrapes the top-bars and the rim of the box with the hive tool to remove the propolis. as soon as possible and at no matter what temperature. after two or three days of fine weather. peels back the cloth. you do not find a cluster of bees in the hive. A few bees scattered here and there on the combs may be ignored. Finally. dispense with this colony using the method described in the section 'Getting ready for winter'. Move the hive some distance. and between 11 a. which are not covered by the box.m. Move gently and with care. i.Driving bees from a framed hive Instead of a skep. Move the hive some distance. Then the beekeeper. Immediately take all the frames one by one and quickly sweep all the bees into the new hive. puff smoke copiously in at the entrance. Leave it there. Procedure After a few seconds of observation you write on a card the number of each colony under two headings: Good colonies – those where you see bees returning with their legs loaded with pollen.
if they are in good condition. You should therefore refrain from cleaning the brood chamber. 87 . are used if need be. enlargement of the hive can be initiated. As a result. cleaning the brood chamber is unnecessary. Spring visit Spring visit Nothing to do inside the hive Each box of the People's Hive comes into the beekeeper's hands at least once every three years. Its combs. When this happens it can be easily and thoroughly cleaned.This hive is cleaned. It would even be harmful because it would greatly cool the brood chamber. otherwise they are protected from robbers and wax moths as described in the section 'Getting ready for winter'. even avoid opening it without reason. At the time of the spring visit.
the beekeeper lifts the roof then takes the two boxes without removing the quilt and puts them on the stand. The helper cleans the support for the floor. The helper gently puffs a little smoke under the two boxes. still covered with the quilt. It is equally important to give the colonies double what they are lacking. Finally. and especially on the floor. Warm-way is the winter orientation. it can be cleaned without danger of chilling the brood chamber. The bee is economical. feed as late as possible. it is important to feed quickly. The beekeeper puts the floor back in place and checks that it is level. Cold-way and warm-way Warm-way and cold-way is determined by the orientation of the combs. The helper smokes under the boxes and more strongly on the floor if there are bees there. 88 . for feeding produces an increase in the brood and demands a supplementary production of heat. The beekeeper lifts the two boxes. She never consumes more than necessary. The beekeeper places a hive-body box stand near the hive. to avoid crushing the bees. Cold-way is the summer orientation. The beekeeper cleans the floor with a hive-tool. it is absolutely necessary that you assess the stores as soon as possible on the first fine day. The helper gently puffs a little smoke into the entrance. When the bees are humming. 4. With this orientation. the air that comes in the entrance immediately penetrates between the combs without meeting any obstacle and cools the hive more rapidly. 3. The helper smokes more strongly under the two boxes. the air coming in by the entrance meets the combs and cools the hive down less rapidly. the honey harvest is reduced. As a result. If you see that the colonies lack stores. The beekeeper replaces the two boxes on the floor cold-way. However. Enlarging the hive Bees need more space in summer to house the brood and honey. thus preferably with the large feeder. With this orientation. However. ready to put them back on the floor. 2. if you are uncertain whether your bees have what they need. State of the stores In a well managed apiary there is no need to deal with the stores at the spring visit. as we know. Moreover. they swarm. In cold-way the combs are at right angles to the walls at the front and back of the hive. If they lack space. The design of the People's Hive allows warm-way or cold-way to be chosen at will. because feeding in spring is always harmful and all the more harmful for being done earlier. you must feed them before the stores are exhausted.Cleaning the floor The floor needs cleaning. and also to reduce the effect of heat. or if you know that they have only insufficient stores. In warm-way the combs are perpendicular to the walls to the right and left of the hive. To clean the floor proceed as follows: 1.
Timing In the People's Hive we need have no fear of chilling the brood. Enlarging the hive Number of hive-body boxes The People's Hive always has two boxes. This enlargement is thus done at least five days before the nectar flow. if you have more time to spare then. average and strong. Therefore classify the hives into two groups. The weak ones were removed in autumn. so we must initiate enlargement soon enough to avoid swarming. one box is added immediately to average colonies and two boxes to strong ones. In regions where the average harvest is between 15 kg and 20 kg per hive. It can even be done at the spring visit. 89 . The number of bees which enter and leave indicates the strength of the colony. At the time of enlargement it is necessary to add one or more according to the strength of the colony. for example. in the Easter holidays.
and puts it on the floor cold-way. Then. You will nevertheless get a good honey harvest. Exchanging hive positions An apiary often has an exceptionally strong colony. Furthermore. check that the hive is well shaded. whether the bees are forming beards. Each passes a rope 90 . 2. When the bees are humming. well protected from the midday sun and that it has enough boxes. You may lose a swarm here or there. Two things can be observed: whether the arrival and departure of the bees is normal. 89). exchange hive positions and. I have had Peoples' Hives with seven boxes. Monitoring the apiary The apiary. if there are bees there. the beekeeper removes the roof. It requires lots of boxes. 2). gently puffs a little smoke in the hive (1. Exchanging positions of hives is done in the evening after sunset. However. ventilate. if necessary. it can happen that this number of boxes is not enough. where the spring visit and enlargement of hives will have taken place in conditions we have already indicated. I prefer to exchange its position with a less strong colony. The helper gently puffs a little smoke under the two boxes (1. First of all. Some of them are carrying pollen. The operation requires two people. 3. 2). those who can do so. Adding a box To add a box. proceed as follows: 1. two boxes are added to average colonies and three to strong ones. The helper. One then obtains only colonies of equal strength. after having prepared the third box (3. The beekeeper takes the third box. If it is like this you can conclude without opening the hive that all is well inside. but prepared with starter strips. if required. so as to avoid crushing them. Obviously these boxes can be added at different times with an interval of some days in between. without great expense. will always benefit from keeping an eye on the hives from time to time. see p. The bees make a beard In this case there is a risk of swarming and it is important to take immediate remedial action.In regions where the average harvest is between 20 kg and 30 kg per hive. can be left to itself without any great harm. The beekeeper takes the two boxes with the quilt and places them on a hive-body box stand. The helper smokes under the boxes and even more strongly on the floor. Arrival and departure of bees There is a steady to and fro of bees which increases as the season advances. The beekeeper picks up the two boxes to place them cold-way on the empty box (3). empty of bees. provided that you ensure that the bees do not lack space. Both colonies are lightly smoked and the roofs and quilts are removed.
For. place the hive legs in tins containing a liquid of some kind or surround the legs with a band soaked in thick grease. covering the width of the wall of the hive. Section equipment Now. These swarms have to be fed each day where there is not enough nectar flow and at the rate of 100 grammes of syrup per day. sections allow beekeepers to make more attractive presents. Our small feeder serves perfectly for this feeding. It is not necessary that the dimensions of these boxes are exactly the same. This way transporting is easy. at the back. especially if the hives are not very well shaded from the sun. it is first necessary to construct a special box. quilt and roof. make three strips of wood from an old top-bar. it costs three times that of extracted honey.round two legs of the hive and ties the ends of the rope at a level of a decimetre below the hands such that the height of the person does not prevent the hive from being kept horizontal. 91 . according to my estimate. To achieve this it is sufficient to pull it as far back as possible. Weak swarms During the course of summer you may have occasion to take small swarms. In which case it is necessary to ventilate the hive by facilitating the escape of hot air. the People's Hive. And here is how to do it. with its fixed combs. because. To prevent them doing so. The stores may be completed in the autumn but the comb can no longer be constructed. The depth should be that of the sections used and the internal dimensions such that there is no empty space round the sections and that they match as closely as possible the internal dimensions of the hive bodies. is better than all others for rapid construction of beautiful sections. For this. but in such a way that the roof does not hinder the escape of hot air from the hive. To do this. or to satisfy their own taste. Ventilation In very hot weather. Replace the cloth. under the roof. Place two or three of the strips of wood on two or three top-bars of the top box. addition of boxes or exchanging hives does not always stop bees forming a beard. But it may happen that beekeepers will find some takers at that price. Ants Ants occasionally invade the hive. it is important that by autumn these swarms will have two boxes completely full of comb. Section honey Sections are generally not profitable. In any case.
at least 5 kg. when there is already a small amount of honey stored in the top box. section rack. separator. is lifted. 1 is placed box No. On the next box (No. i.e. which we refer to as box number one. assembled section) 92 . On box No. The following box (No. coussin=quilt). 2. 3) is placed box No.The hives are enlarged as normal. 2 is placed the box containing sections (see figure. 1 whose honey has been uncapped if necessary. 2) is lifted likewise. this box. Equipment for section honey (section open. On box No. When the nectar flow has really started.
a simple starter is sufficient and gives more even sections. 1 into that containing the sections. To insert American sections. If the temperature is not favourable there is no nectar anywhere. Soil and atmospheric moisture increases it.Under the box containing the sections there is some brood and as a result of this no room for the honey that is brought in daily. salsify. They should be removed as soon as they are capped. Furthermore. in box No. there is even nectar on leaves. vetch. The bees will thus have a tendency to carry honey from box No. not even in flowers. The nectar flow Certainly. 3. For. And note that here our bees are not pushed into swarming as happens in other hives when one makes sections. and of certain trees: oak. and as much of it as one can give to them if the need is felt.. stops nectar from rising. Drought or thundery weather impedes it. But what is required for bees installed in a hive to be able to fill it with honey? Flowers Flowers are the principal source of nectar. the main aim of beekeeping is to produce honey. This is all that is necessary to obtain beautiful sections. ash. Sections should be monitored. lime. There is therefore a rapid and considerable influx of honey into the sections. The bees are therefore forced to put the new honey in the sections. on the other hand. fix two frames of 142 x 113 mm to a top-bar. in the People's Hive one can always leave a free space for the bees under the brood. Note In sections. 93 . the bees never leave honey for long under brood. There is nectar on the leaves of certain plants. etc. Temperature Temperature plays a very important part in the production of honey. If the temperature is favourable. The most favourable wind is that from the southwest. etc. The north wind. Place eight top-bars equipped thus in a hive-body box of 130 mm deep instead of 210 mm. A warm temperature (20°) is necessary for nectar production.
They never leave it for long below. 94 . The water in nectar evaporates under the influence of the temperature and the ventilation produced by the bees. they carry the nectar to its final position. contains up to 75% water. when it leaves the flower. of course.Cross-section of three boxes: the dotted lines show the successive positions of the honey according to how much is brought in. we recommend that the brood be destroyed. it provides an opportunity to effect this removal without extra work and with every chance of getting a good result. the temperature brings it forward or delays it. This is why many beekeepers have tried by various means to reduce or even get rid of the brood during this period. Nectar. If. this removal of brood can be done on all colonies. which should contain only 20–25% water. Placement of nectar On re-entering the hive. Sometimes too. starting at the top. the foragers deposit the nectar anywhere. The methods used have often been disastrous. Pioneering method Brood is disadvantageous during the nectar flow The brood retains in the hive many bees that could otherwise go foraging. they have not given the expected results because they were carried out at a certain amount of time before the nectar flow. and to favour evaporation. Now. But as soon as they have time and the opportunity. this operation is carried out at the start of the nectar flow. Nectar The honey we consume is not what is brought in by bees foraging. to distinguish it from honey. to save time. The brood descends accordingly. above and beside the brood. because they went against the laws of nature. it is impossible to specify the precise date of the nectar flow. A good method When driving bees from a skep. Now. This is why it is called nectar at that point.
All the brood is destroyed and the honey and wax is harvested. Artificial swarming can be used too. We are going to say a word. The departure may be delayed if the wind is strong or if the barometer indicates heavy rain.At the start of the main nectar flow. How to forecast it The bees make a beard at the entrance of the hive. This swarm belongs to you. This is discussed in the section 'Population of the hive'.. like stalwart reapers and without offspring. it is necessary to feed them. take possession of it by positioning next to it a person who takes your place or an object that belongs to you. If during the following three days the bees are not at all able to go out. The males make a characteristic humming noise. Natural swarm Its ownership If you notice the departure of a swarm from your apiary or that of another beekeeper. when the first sainfoin flowers appear in countries where it is cultivated. however. there is an unusual buzz. skeps. between 8 a. because the hive has become too small as a result of the increase in population or the ambient temperature. Without this mischance. all the bees are made to go down into empty boxes with starter strips. One often hears the piping of the young queens. follow it.m. 95 . At the entrance of the hive. the bees. Making increase To increase the number of colonies in an apiary. That is the risk of the method. When the swarm has settled somewhere. and 4 p. You are only liable to someone else for any damage that you may have caused them. early in the morning. about natural swarms and then about how to make an artificial swarm. Whatever property it enters. a very low risk. natural swarms. will obtain a more substantial harvest.m. Of course it will be necessary to provide this colony with as many boxes with starter strips as one has removed of built comb. A swarm may leave between two downpours or after a thunderstorm. nobody can refuse you entry. the same methods can be used as for populating the hive: breeders' swarms. You may do what is necessary with it where it is settled.
your operation is successful and you can go away. In the evening he carries the hive to its final position. Wear a veil. Turn the box the right way up and place it on a hive-body box stand. especially if the bees are returning to the branch where the swarm was in increasing numbers. Place the box with the opening upwards directly below the swarm. If the bees are fanning their wings around the box and tending to go into it. Scorch this box so as to destroy any insects and spider webs and to increase the smell of wax. or even spray the swarm with a fine rain using a powerful garden syringe.How to make a swarm settle Using a mirror. When the swarm is properly clustered. 96 . if it has already been used. wait until the swarm has re-clustered there and repeat the procedure. Moisten the walls of the box with a few drops of honey. we show various locations of swarms and indicate how to take them. lightly smoke it. If not. The swarm will cluster immediately and land on the first tree it comes to. shine a shaft of sunlight onto the swarm. In the following pages. Sharply knock the branch on which the swarm has settled once or twice. How to take a swarm Let the swarm cluster and prepare a hive-body box. The beekeeper drives bees with smoke into a People's Hive placed above them.
The beekeeper knocks the branch to drop the bees into a People's Hive. it should be taken to its final site during the first evening. and then rub it inside and out with Melissa officinale or mint. In the evening it is carried to its final position. for it needs nourishment and to draw comb. then the helper turns it the right way up and puts it on a hive-body box stand. it will be necessary to feed the swarm as generously as possible. around sunset. In the evening it is carried to its final position. then the helper turns it the right way up and puts it on a hive-body box stand. It is advisable to scorch the new hive so as to remove any unpleasant smell. 97 . The beekeeper brushes the bees down into a People's Hive. Feeding If the nectar flow stops for more than two days.Hiving If the swarm has to be hived at least three kilometres away.
. Waiting for natural swarms is sometimes a long drawn out affair. Furthermore. At this time the procedure is simpler and the mating of young queens is more effective. if you are not certain that the queen being supplied to you has not been raised according to so-called modern methods. such swarms cannot always be guaranteed to stay in the hive. artificial ones. Day and time Work on a fine day after a preceding fine day. and between 11 a. Number of colonies Should an artificial swarm be made from only one colony or two? One colony can certainly be successful. Choice of colonies Always use the best colonies. fifteen days later taking another swarm from the same two colonies. Buying swarms is an expense that is not always cost efficient and does not always give bees of good quality. Big populations make the job easier. Furthermore. if you can you should. This improvement will be still greater if you give your swarm an Italian queen from a reliable source.Artificial swarming Use Artificial swarming is a very efficient way of populating hives. You would be giving the swarm a head start. Mated queen Using a mated queen in artificial swarming is not only helpful.m. when using strong colonies you are making a useful selection without excessive effort. In any case. 98 . do not buy a queen but rest content with those that your bees are raising themselves. it is very helpful. When The best time to artificial swarm is at the beginning of the main nectar flow when natural swarms start to be seen in the region.m.m. If you are uncertain of the reliability of the source of the queen you are buying. if you have bought this queen from elsewhere you are bringing into your apiary new blood which always improves your stock. But it is always safer to use two. and 3 p. These are the ones with the largest number of bees. We thus describe both methods. preferably at 11 a.
be it with two colonies. Feeding If the artificial swarm and the parent have not received honey in the comb and if the nectar flow has stopped for more than two days. you proceed as described in the following figures. or with a mated queen. Swarming with one colony Swarming with one colony 99 . with one colony.Procedure To make an artificial swarm. it will be necessary to feed the swarm as well as the parent colony. and to do so more plentifully if they have to construct comb.
i. When the bees are humming. open hive 1. remove box No. Place beside hive 1. This happens especially when working in conditions that are too cold or after having smoked too much from below. place a few leafy branches between the two hives to clearly mark the separation and oblige the bees to make a detour to go from one hive to another. 8. Cover hive 1. This is the colony of hive 5. 1 have gone down into box No. This is the colony of hive 1. 7. Smoke hive-bodies 2 and 3. Smoke it vigorously. 2. Choose a good colony that deserves being increased. When the bees are humming. and force the bees to make a detour when going from hive to hive. Comment The queen has gone down into hive 2. 101). 3 and hive 5. 2. 3 and will continue to lay. 2. fitted with starter strips. a hive-body box without bees. Choose a good colony that deserves being increased. 3. If not. Reduce the entrance of the two hives to the winter state for a few days. i. But if you notice bees balling you should drive them down with smoking more copiously. 4. 100 . 3. but ready to receive them. Misusing the smoke causes the bees and the queen to move to the top of the hive. 3 sufficient to calm the bees. 7 should be at least between 2–3 metres apart. 2. and if. Misusing the smoke causes the bees and the queen to move to the top of the hive. a hive-body box without bees. 7. Clean the tops of the top-bars and smoke vigorously and quickly between all the top-bars. Gently puff a little smoke into the entrance of hive 1.1. Single bees are to be disregarded. clean the top-bars of box 2 and cover the hive with its cloth and quilt. 2. until the bees' comings and goings are normal. a distance of two or three metres may suffice. 2. 3 hive 4. 2. Put hive 1. p. lift the quilt and the cloth covering the top-bars. Gently puff a little smoke into the entrance of hive 1. lift the quilt and the cloth covering the top-bars. Hive 1. Prepare a cloth and quilt to cover this hive. the further the better. 3 and carry it quite far away within the apiary. hive 4 comprising a floor. 2. Swarming with two colonies 1. Place beside hive 1. 3 (see figure). you left only the necessary stores only in box No. 3 sufficient to calm the bees. Smoke it vigorously. 3. 3. 6. Choose another colony with a strong population. 9. When the bulk of the bees of box No. 3. However. 5. 2. But in this case it is good to put a few leafy branches between the two hives clearly to mark the separation. there will certainly be brood with which the bees will raise a new queen. open hive 1. 4 with its cloth and quilt. This prolongs the procedure. 3. 6. Prepare a cloth and quilt to cover this hive.e. but ready to receive them. 2. 1 and put it on the box of hive 4 after removing its quilt and cloth. comprising a floor.e. This is the colony of hive 1. The queen could be in these balls of bees. fitted with starter strips. 2nd position. 1. If you do this at the beginning of the main nectar flow. Lift hive 2. 4. 6. in autumn. This prolongs the procedure. 2. 3 (see figure. 4 in place of hive 2. 2.
101 . remove box No. 4 in place of hive 5. the further the better. 7. 1 and put it on the box of hive 4 after removing its quilt and cloth. 2. But if you notice bees balling you should drive them down with smoking more copiously. 6. This happens especially when working in conditions that are too cold or after having smoked too much from below. 8. But in this case it is good to put a few leafy branches between the two hives clearly to mark the separation. 4 with its cloth and quilt. The queen could be in these balls of bees. Reduce the entrance of the two hives to the winter state for a few days. 7. Put hive 1. clean the top-bars of box 2 and cover the hive with its cloth and quilt. 1 have gone down into box No. 7 and carry it quite far off within the apiary. Single bees are to be disregarded. However. 9. 6. a distance of two or three metres may suffice. 5. and force the bees to make a detour when going from hive to hive. When the bulk of the bees of box No.Swarming with two colonies Clean the tops of the top-bars and smoke vigorously and quickly between all the top-bars. until the bees' comings and goings are normal. Smoke hive-bodies 2 and 3. 6. Lift hive 5. Cover hive 1.
This hive is certainly queenless. Therefore. Clean the tops of the top-bars. dark place always enclosed in her travelling box. you can give the queen to an artificial swarm. You do not have to kill the queen. open it and gently smoke the top and introduce the cage as described below. Or better still. Preparation of the hive If you are giving the queen to a swarm. introducing foreign blood is beneficial. where selection has been made for several years. 4. If you are giving the queen to an already established colony proceed as follows: Kill the queen of the colony to receive the young queen and destroy all the queen cells that may be present. i. She is destroyed.e. make sure that a queen has not hatched and destroy all the queen cells. if she is going to be used. you should introduce her into hive 1. In addition it suffices for renewing the blood of your colonies. which is the easiest method because it does not necessitate finding and killing the existing queen. place her in a cool. If the colony has been queenless for some days. In an apiary of between 30 and 40 hives. preferably an Italian queen. Open the top box and smoke strongly and rapidly between the frames. When the queen excluder is exposed the queen will be found amongst several drones. artificial breeding. On top of the queen excluder place all the boxes of the hive previously put to one side. 102 . When the hive is in its final position.Introducing queens Advantages of fresh blood In any breeding. proceed in the same way with the other boxes. from time to time introduce into your apiary a queen from elsewhere. Which colony to give the queen to An introduced queen is best given to a poor colony. check the stores and supplement them as necessary using honey (a drop each day) by allowing it to flow through the mesh. On top of the empty boxes place a queen excluder. placed in a cage. we repeat that you gain nothing in buying queens unless you find a breeder who makes a good selection and does not practise modern breeding. In this way you only destroy a bad queen. Care of the queen Once a queen has arrived. or. How to find the queen To find the queen in a People's Hive proceed as follows: Put all the occupied boxes of the hive on one side. gently smoke it through the entrance. If her introduction has to be delayed. new blood from elsewhere does not have the same advantage. On the hive floor place one or two empty boxes according to the strength of the colony. When the bees have abandoned the top box. Moreover.
45 mm long and 110 mm deep. Tear off the small card that closes the opening beside the stores and let the queen and the bees accompanying her run into your cage.m. Remove the box which has the address and which covers the grille. Monitoring the queen If the wax has not been removed in 24 hours. 103 . The top is closed with a piece of enamelled metal sheet or simply with a fold of the metal mesh.Queen excluder. it is almost certain that there is a hatched or developing queen in the hive. The combs should contain a little honey. It is 10 mm wide. Place this cage between the combs at the top of the top box forming the brood nest. This allows the bees accompanying the queen to take some honey through the mesh of their cage. The cage is not introduced until the honey has been uncapped. has given us full satisfaction. either the bees are not taking notice of the queen. Introducing the queen Proceed immediately to introduction in the following manner: work preferably in fine weather and between 10 and 11 a. She must be destroyed. Close this cage with a piece of comb. The mesh used for food safes is perfectly suitable. Take the box with the queen. shown in the sketch. or they are trying to get at her by attempting to get into her cage through the mesh: In the first case.2 mm wide Queen introduction cage (not to scale) Queen cage The queen cage. The bottom is not closed. made of perforated zinc with slots 4.
Choose two strong colonies 1. But do not remove all the wax. possibly even a third. It is therefore necessary to facilitate her release. place a few leafy branches between the two hives to clearly mark the separation and obliges the bees to make a detour to go from one hive to another. 3. quilt and roof. lift the quilt and the cloth covering the topbars. Get rid of any other obstruction. it will go on to produce a secondary swarm. But if you notice bees balling you should drive them down with smoking more copiously. 4. in the case of swarming with one or two colonies. 104 . first row). On hive 3. The hive is emptied and reduced to a colony of no value. 4. They often leave without our knowledge and are lost. 4 and 5. Remove part of the wax. 6. 5. These swarms require a lot of monitoring. 2. 7. 6. If these hives are not at least three metres apart. 8 (see figure above. The bees will remove it and can only release the queen slowly as it suits them. When you have seen that the queen has been released. Misusing the smoke causes the bees and the queen to move to the top of the hive. open hive 1. put box 1 aside and cover it. 3. 3. 2. When the bees in box 1 have gone down into box 2. sufficient to calm the bees. 4 place a new box 10. 1st operation: Place beside hive 1. Check it each day and remove any obstructions. 3. etc. Never release the queen. We now have a prime swarm with an old queen. 4. The queen could be in these balls of bees. Do the same for box 2. Single bees are to be disregarded. Gently puff a little smoke into the entrance of hive 1. then cover it with cloth.In the second case the queen has been accepted. 4 a floor and a new hive-body box 9. 2. A small opening will be sufficient. Smoke it and clean the tops of the top-bars with the hive tool. Smoke it vigorously and quickly between all the top-bars. dead bees. Alternative swarming with two colonies If a queen is not given to the queenless hive 1 and 4. but never the wax. 2. Put the releasing cage back amongst the combs. remove the releasing cage and a few days later you may check that the queen is laying. Here is how these swarms can be avoided: 1. 2. This prolongs the procedure. When the bees are humming. 3.
Otherwise screen it from the others with a few leafy branches. 7. like spiders' webs. Otherwise screen it with leafy branches. 8. 15. In reality. put a floor and new box 13. the new box 9 and the two boxes 2 and 1 put aside earlier. It is not even an enemy of the bees. 6. 10. 9. 13. Smoke hive 5. These grubs look very much like meat maggots. Open this hive. so few in number. quilt and roof. Remove one box from the hive that is to receive. Cover it with cloth. place on it a queen excluder. then cover with cloth. place on box 9 a new box 11. But the bees in these colonies do not allow the wax moth to develop. I will comment briefly. have their diseases. 12. it is simply the effect.7. The wax moth develops in these colonies because the bees. 3rd operation. to drive the bees down from box 1 into box 2. on top of that place the box to be emptied. you will never have weak colonies invaded by wax moth. On this box 11 replace boxes 2 and 1. 11. To do that. If you follow my good advice closely. 9. 7. and for good reason. either in spring or autumn. pass the hive-tool over the top-bars. You find wax moth in all colonies. 8. We now have a secondary swarm with a young queen. quilt and roof. then put box 1 aside and cover it. Bee diseases Bees. In fact. like all living things. the webs. then on top of it boxes 2 and 1 put to one side earlier. 6. 8. 7. then put box 2 aside and cover it. Lightly smoke hive 5. 6. 6. On top of box 11. smoke it to drive the bees down. place a new box 12. 8 through the entrance and move it at least three metres away. move it at least three metres away. kill her and then remove the excluder and cover the hive again. but it does not cause weakness. two or three weak colonies. if you get rid of the weak colonies. 2. In the place of hive 5. 7. Drive the bees of box 2 down into boxes 11 and 9. 105 . Smoke as before. wax moth is not a disease. 2nd operation thirteen days after the 1st: lightly smoke through the entrance of hive 1. In place of hive 5. are powerless to prevent its development. Greater wax moth Greater wax moth is recognised by the presence of large white grubs in the combs and of webs in between them. remove the box and. vigorously smoke the colonies to be dealt with. We will not waste time describing them nor in indicating remedies. 13 and use the bees to reinforce one. 24 days after the first: remove boxes 1. Cover them all with a cloth. 2. 8 arrange a new hive with floor. if a queen is found on the excluder. quilt and roof. wax moth only develops in weak colonies. 14. move boxes 1 and 2 onto a box stand. This is repeated for the two other boxes 2 and 13. even the best.
Finally. 'that the invasion by foulbrood in Germany dates from the same time as the framed hive. which will be a danger because it will carry the disease from a sick colony to a healthy one. the dead brood gives off a particular smell. I emphasise the following facts. The cells holding the larvae. in manuals. in this case. web and tunnel of wax moth Foulbrood Foulbrood is a deterioration of the brood at all stages of its development. are pierced or uncapped. since then. We will thus gain time. Things are no longer the same with the hive and modern methods. 'It is a certain fact'. Leave the use of treatments to scientists who want to pursue their studies on this point. we notice in magazines. We find ourselves unavoidably faced with a weak colony: let us destroy it like all weak colonies and replace it with a good swarm. Tr. The People's Hive is criticised for almost completely preventing the application of modern methods which are the future of our beekeeping. I do not know the value of the recommended treatments. But. foulbrood was hardly known about as it was so rare. But it is my opinion that these modern methods are the death of beekeeping and that only the People's Hive and the skep will be able to save it. instead of being capped after the sixth day as is the rule.]. And they talk of fighting against this disease by creating a costly official bureaucracy. I do not go along with any curative treatment for foul brood. Before this time there was very little manipulation of hives. stretching out into a long thread when the thing is taken out. the dead larvae are transformed into a gluey mass which sticks to anything introduced into the cell. at apicultural events that beekeepers are having to fight against foulbrood more and more. I guess that the game is not worth the candle. it is as well known as it is frequent'. but. says Berlefech [sic. money and honey. Further. The bee has survived for centuries in hives with fixed comb without suffering. or better still. to burn the combs and to really scorch the internal walls of the hive. 106 . to plunge them into hypochlorite solution (bleach). rather like that of strong carpenters glue. but could be referring to Berlepsch.Wax-moth larva Cocoons and web of wax moth Cocoons. But whatever the value may be. Since this German's cry of warning. it is best to destroy the bees with sulphur or any other means.
. the shock to the hive can lead to the separation from the group of a section of bees. It will be the same in the hives. in equal measure. We see strong men untouched by tuberculosis germs. The queen can be destroyed in this way. They eat the wax and the honey. on trams. The blows from his beak are worse than the damage that he does to the structure of the hive. Bees must be similar to men. He manages to destroy wooden hives and eat the honey in the comb. Besides. Animals Toads will willingly eat bees that they find below the hive. often very comfortable. And the People's Hive and its method strengthens the bees through continual selection. Bits of suspended glass and moving objects appear to deter green woodpeckers in sunny weather. certain birds. Since we have forced hens to lay more eggs. nests. they destroy the combs to make their large. by eliminating all overworking of the bees and by the very fact that it protects the bees from foulbrood. Mice are harmful in the hives. lead quite simply to the degeneration of the bee. there are illnesses in the hen house which were formerly unknown. These are: the owner himself. In any event. some animals. the services that toads render besides are compensation for this rare bit of gourmandising. The bee's enemies The bee has many enemies. Let us leave the germs to accomplish their mission. causing them to fall to the floor. The noise agitates the bees which is very harmful in winter.Let us not go against the laws of nature. which is to get rid of what is useless. and let us give our bees the strength to fight against these microbes. All in spite of having encountered tuberculosis germs in public places. re-read frequently and properly understood. Birds Many birds take bees in flight and eat them. even some plants. of very different kinds. These are often swallows and tits. It is easy to prevent mice from entering the hives by reducing the metal entrances (mouse guards) in autumn and winter. The beekeeper It does happen that the beekeeper does not know his job and treats the bees in a way contrary to their nature and needs. The green woodpecker works differently. These are lost bees. This manual. since they do not have the strength to fly again. by natural food. 107 . Prevention is better than cure. whereas weak men often give them favourable conditions for development. carriages etc. The beekeeper must inform himself before setting up his hive. I am convinced that modern methods. from where they will not get up if it is cold. which tend towards the intensive. will suffice.
or which simply kill them. Its small flowers are white and violet. the edges of the leaf curl round and plunge it into the darkness of the tomb. its leaves fleshy. Some believe that the brood chamber has enough honey for overwintering. there are two for not doing so. the object of their desire. then digests it. And what if there is not enough? 108 . rapidly withdraw and the secretion is negligible. though these boxes absorb some of the heat from the brood chamber. In contrast. If consumers will only accept certain honey to the exclusion of others. A weight of a hundredth of a milligram causes them to move. A rosette of reddish leaves presses against the soil at the base of the flower stem which is covered with glandular hairs ending in a rounded head. and produces insignificant white flowers at the end of summer. whereas a heavy downfall of rain has no effect on them. The harvest Number of harvests You can take honey out of the hives. resembling little mushrooms. At the moment when a tiny insect touches a tentacle it curls up in less than a minute: the neighbouring tentacles imitate the movement. it completely disappears. the honey harvest is very different from one month to the next. when there is any. asphyxiates it. These sort of tentacles have an extraordinary sensitivity. It is the same with beekeepers who do not do inspections. I still advise against harvesting. just as does the leaf itself. that is the end of it.) a small plant which can reach 20 cm. I advise only one harvest. except for the hard parts. I advise you not to abuse this option. there are some flowers where a visit from a bee destroys its freshness. leaving only the case and the wings. the tentacles. But what if they are mistaken? It is not unusual. unfolded in an instant. it is necessary to conform to their wishes and harvest the honeys separately. The flower of Asclepia uses glue to protect itself against insects. But. At the same time as secreting nectar. The round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L. In certain regions. It is generally less than the first. of which the upper part is covered in glandular hairs. They get a good harvest in July and they are short of honey later for their bees. a thick liquid secreted by the glands pours out over the insect. it secretes a viscous liquid which holds them by the body or by the legs. It is a particularity of the common butterwort that farmers use it to make the milk flow. If there is one reason for harvesting. there are also some which live off the bees that visit them. sessile or pedunculated. If you put something inorganic on the surface of the leaf. like the common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris) which grows in abundance in peaty grassland where it blooms in July. But because it is always bad to open the hives. as often as you wish. grows in peaty areas throughout France. I have noticed almost everywhere that beekeepers do not leave enough honey for overwintering. in principle. Others count on the second nectar flow. As soon as a gnat lands on this sticky and downy area. You cannot trick the sundew! The butterworts Pinguicula and bladderworts Urticularia are considered to be carnivores plants.Plants Bees fertilise many flowers and many flowers give the bees nectar and pollen. Even if there were certain hives with several boxes full of honey. immobilises it.
a fodder plant without health properties. It is constipating instead of being refreshing like honey. because in winter she has to stay for weeks without voiding herself at all. what there is too much of and what is to be taken. Time The honey harvest must be at the end of August. at the end of August or beginning of September. it can only improve it. its formidable rival. it is important to exploit the health properties of honey. the honey from the second harvest will be less mixed than in other hives with the other honey. the bees will not gather any more honey. Thirty-six decimetres squared of combs stocked with honey on both sides will be enough in the fixed-comb hive. you can sort out the winter stores. and that its quality is less different than one generally thinks. in the combs which must be left to the bees for the winter. In taking account of the fact that the second nectar flow is less abundant than the first. or later. But sugar does not constitute normal food for the bee. Furthermore. The two operations will be done as one and you will have all the necessary honey to hand. But such feeding is always harmful and costly. It can only cause harm to the bee. it will be easy to work out what is lacking and what needs to be added. With this as given. Three decimetres squared of comb stocked with honey on both sides makes up 1 kg of honey. because it is only in this way that it can fight sugar. Insufficient stores put the bees' lives in danger or will necessitate spring feeding. the honey from the second nectar flow will be mixed with that from the first. Sugar is more harmful in spring: but feeding in spring is even more so. you will say. since the combs are hardly raised and the boxes less capacious and the bees put the honey there working downwards according to the supply. at the beginning of September. making them up where they are not sufficient. They give sugar. This is the moment to inspect the hives and take account of the state of stores. on the other hand. this feeding misleads the bees' instinct. 109 . Occasionally. In effect. beekeepers wait until spring has arrived before giving sugar syrup. The first will reduce the quality of the second. Besides. The honey at the end of the year will be found mainly above the brood. That is why I advise only having one harvest. a comb of the fixed comb People's Hive contains six decimetres squared. reducing them if there is too much.Beekeepers hesitate to give the bees fine honey extracted with care. At the end of August or the beginning of September. The flowers disappear or the temperature gets cold again preventing the rise of nectar. From a health point of view. and. this mixing will change the overall quality very little. The health properties of honey are. very white honey is only produced most of the time by sainfoin. But. multiplied by the number of flowers which have produced it. in the People's Hive. Now on the one hand. in effect. Winter stores As stores you will need 12 kg in hives with fixed comb. And it is only from the marketing point of view that the second nectar flow would reduce the value of the first. At the same time as taking this honey harvest.
one operation in two is removed: you never reduce the stores contained in the two boxes left for overwintering. • Leave this box and the one immediately below it. Procedure To manage the honey harvest.Too much in the way of stores is also harmful. There is no case for searching for it. For this reason. the more honey there is. you supplement them only if necessary. if there is space. an excess of stores gets in the way of egg laying in spring. Besides. but below it. in order to avoid robbing. That is why the honey combs from a box that you are obliged occasionally to put below will always be uncapped. Comments Stores: The dimensions of the boxes are such that a box which contains a somewhat small amount of brood can only contain a small amount of stores in addition. The bees will eat it or carry it into the top box before it begins to hamper them. You put even the smallest bits of wax and propolis in it. so small an amount that it is better not to reduce it. Honey under the brood: It must never happen that there is a permanent amount of honey under the brood. The bottom box left for overwintering will occasionally contain a little honey which comes from the last supplies. all possible situations have been envisaged. especially if they are wet with honey. • Stop at the first box where you come across some brood. Place the two remaining boxes warmway. • Lift off the others if there are any. not forgetting that you must above all ensure the life of the bees by allowing sufficient winter stores. In the following section. 110 . proceed as shown in the following section. you would even arrange this door in a way which only allows one bee at a time to pass. the toolbox is needed at harvest time. As a result. We can summarise it as follows: • Remove all the boxes which only contain honey. but to leave it as it is. the more significant is the empty space to be heated above the bees. In the case of robbing. so that the bees can take this honey and carry it to a better place. because the bee does not winter on the cold and humid honey. • Assess the stores and make them up. Entrance For the autumn and winter operations it is important to reduce the hive entrance by fitting the entrance piece with its wide entry (mouse guard). nor to bother with it. the operation appears complicated. Toolbox: More than for any other beekeeping operation. Thus at first sight.
then covers it (third position. After the extraction you put all the combs back in the boxes 111 . he lifts it off. then uncovers the hive. he counts the number of square decimetres of brood. The beekeeper waits for the humming of the bees. And he carries on in this way.Harvesting the honey 1st position 2nd position 3rd position 1. The helper gently puffs a little smoke into the hive entrance and adjusts the entrance to its widest position. When the bees have gone down. The beekeeper treats box number 2 in the same way as number 1. If the beekeeper sees some brood at the bottom of the combs in box number 1. If on the other hand. he takes off that box and puts it in a safe place. the smoke which goes under the material is less likely to escape and the operation proceeds more quickly. Taking this figure from 48. you have to be able to borrow one. see diagram) after having taken off what honey there is. see diagram). The beekeeper rolls back the cloth covering the combs. If he sees only honey. 6. he replaces it (second position. 2. using the hive-tool the beekeeper unsticks the first and second boxes. he has the number of kilos of honey in the hive. He takes off all the boxes which are absolutely full of honey. The helper gently puffs a little smoke onto the uncovered top bars (first position. Dividing this number by 3. It is better to err on the generous side. 5. he has the number of square decimetres of honey. and then you have only to buy one single cage and two double. The beekeeper passes the hive-tool over the top bars and the width of the side walls to remove the propolis. then lifts off number 1. The beekeeper takes the smoker and puffs plenty of smoke between the combs to make the bees go down from box number 1 into box number 2. He stops as soon as he sees brood in the box. 3. 4. The helper continues gently using the smoker. Getting ready for winter If you do not possess an extractor. If he sees a small amount of brood. The beekeeper takes note of this number and replaces the box. covers it and goes on to another hive. see diagram). He can turn it over to see it better. the beekeeper only sees honey in box number 1. covers it and goes on to another hive. The helper gently puffs a little smoke on to the top bars of box number 2. If you leave the cloth on the box.
If necessary. After the buzzing quietens. you take out all the black combs for melting down. The helper smokes the next box. the beekeeper knows how much undrawn comb he lacks and how many boxes he can make up with unfinished ones. The beekeeper returns to the first box put aside and puts it back in place. Therefore. he will get rid of some colonies by uniting two in order to have completely drawn boxes throughout. in the second box. the least good. the oldest. One good colony will produce more than two weak ones. the first box which contains honey. that the box to be taken off contains some brood. in spite of appearances to the contrary. First situation – If the combs are completely drawn. brood and bees. Moreover. Drawn comb You must overwinter each hive with two boxes with completely drawn comb. 112 . he destroys one queen. If there are still boxes on the floor. the bees do not have these two drawn boxes to use. He needs to follow this by feeding to make up the stores of all the hives which do not have 12 kg of honey. at this time. But it is particularly in spring that the bees need these two drawn boxes. In effect. the beekeeper unsticks the top box from the one below. The helper smokes the hive through the entrance. they lack usable space. This destruction of colonies is being economical. you will unite some colonies if necessary. The beekeeper unsticks this box and lifts it up to inspect the comb. and uses plenty of smoke. the beekeeper notices that the combs are not completely drawn. at the time of these unitings. You fitted out the boxes which you are going to use with the white and lightly coloured combs. B: If he has no drawn comb available. because they need them to put the brood in. It is best to uncap it with a knife or a fork. they will swarm just as if they had no space. he puts the second box to one side and places the available drawn-comb box on the floor. If. It can happen. lifts off the quilt but not the cloth which covers the comb. the beekeeper makes a note of it after having put it back in place on the floor. he finds some honey in the bottom box. in spring. but before covering it. though rarely. is positioned on the floor. he replaces the incomplete box on the floor and makes a note of the number of undrawn combs which it contains. that we have also been able to put on a hive-body box stand. Often. in order that all of them have two boxes with fully drawn comb. On this box he places. because there are not enough honey supplies for drawing comb. There is no need to make the bees go down. he behaves in a different way according to whether he has or has not some drawn comb that he can use: A: If he has drawn comb available.without nailing them down for the bees in each hive to clean up overnight. The beekeeper passes the hive-tool over the top bars to remove the propolis from it. The bees will overwinter better on drawn comb than in an empty space. he puts the undrawn box above to make any bees go down. as above. lifts it off and places it on a hive-body box stand. it would be extravagant to give the bees the necessary honey for the production of wax. if he knows which. they must be lifted up before our box. Our large feeder is particularly suitable for this. When all the hives have been inspected in this way. Note particularly that a hive which produced a good harvest will need to be fed. To unite two colonies. on the other hand. Those top bars have been nailed down as usual. Afterwards. Second situation – If. In that case you must wait for it to hatch. using our excluder. The beekeeper uncovers the hive.
say 12 kg minimum for the fixed-comb hive. place the two boxes you want to keep on a floor. our large feeder is placed. If a colony does not have this quantity of stores. when feeding. However. Do not forget. Afterwards. it is better to break it up and sprinkle it with water. Cover the hive and smoke it well. always give preference to the one which comes from a secondary or tertiary swarm (cast) as she will certainly be young.Destroying colonies When comparing two colonies for uniting. you only have to protect these boxes against rats. put the boxes you want to get rid of. to adjust the hive entrance piece in such a way that the bees can only use the small opening. sufficiently covered not to allow the sulphur smoke to escape through the top. fewer drawn combs. In this container. you must give it to them immediately. If you make up the stores with honey syrup. It is best to use our special feeder. you place on the surface a small board pierced with holes. If you make up the stores with some honeycomb. we left the first box where we found some brood. put any container. not on the floor. Sugar syrup can replace honey syrup. In this case. It is from this colony that you take the queen that you will destroy. You then only have to give them some stores. There might be between 12 kg and 14 kg of honey. you will notice that one is inferior to the other. The next day. after having smoked them. it is important to put at least one third of water to two thirds of honey. uncap the honey in the bottom box with a knife or a fork. You leave these boxes for twenty-four hours to absorb the smoke. 113 . In any case. and in one or several feeds. In this empty box. To make sure they store well. less honey. and make up the stores if there are not enough. it is important to only keep newly drawn comb. See the section entitled 'Equipment'. proceed as follows: after giving them a strong dose of smoke. Proceed as described in the section entitled 'Introducing queens'. Storing partly drawn boxes You can store boxes with partly drawn comb and use them for extending hives in spring. In choosing which queen to keep. Remove the now bee-less boxes. In carrying out the harvest. The completely drawn boxes could nevertheless be used to take in bees saved from suffocation (sulphuring). or chopped straw or some small pieces of cork. by contrast. For that. so that the bees do not drown. you put broken comb or some honey syrup. The drawn boxes have little value with our method. it has less brood. which are very partial to wax. you must burn the equivalent of half a sulphur candle below a stack of three boxes. put an empty box below two boxes and proceed as described for extending the hive. For uniting. Food You need 12 kg of honey for a good overwintering in the People's Hive with fixed comb. Above these two boxes. Make the bees come down from the boxes that you are getting rid of by smoking them abundantly. All the colonies with such stores are in a good state for overwintering. the one with the most honey on the top. But you must not forget that sugar is not normal bee food and it will not give them such a good overwintering as honey syrup. but on the top box. if necessary.
he will only have to put these combs in a safe place to await sale. but account should be taken of the fact that transporting it is difficult. all the honeycombs are cut out in pieces leaving about 10 mm comb on the top-bars. that by selling it this way the wax is lost. The honey is collected in a ceramic or tinplate receptacle. 114 .Position of feeder in empty box at the bottom Extracting honey The honey we have taken from the hives is in the extraction room but still in the cells of the comb that are capped with wax. the honey is separated from the wax before sale. Clear honey Most commonly. Extraction by draining This extraction is begun as soon as the combs have been brought to the extraction room. Using a knife. This is called clear (runny) honey. and that a new starter will have to be put on the top-bars. which is less expensive than sections at harvest. that the return of the hive boxes with the comb entails a cost. Honey deteriorates in galvanised steel containers or those made of zinc or copper. Clear honey is obtained in three ways: by letting it drain unaided or by assisting flow with heat or with the force of centrifugation. Bits of comb containing brood are likewise put aside if it happens that any are found. This comb honey should not be confused with section honey. If the beekeeper finds buyers for cut comb honey. whose production I have not recommended because it goes against the bees and it is not profitable for the beekeeper. in an ordinary colander or on a screen and crushed by hand or with a knife. Comb honey Comb honey may be sold as such. All the other pieces of comb are put in a metal sieve of 4 mm mesh. Pieces of comb containing pollen are put aside as this pollen could discolour the honey.
The knife needs to be hot enough to pass easily under the cappings but not so hot as to melt them. 115 . Honey obtained by this method is of poorer quality. The cappings of comb put in the extractor can be treated in the same way. It will often be more economical to give all the comb fragments to colonies low on stores. If this is done by the heat of the sun. or it is carried out in the oven of a kitchen cooker. all of it should be covered with a thick sheet of glass to trap the sun's radiation and stop bees robbing. Comment Sometimes cells filled with pollen are found under the knife. When the knife has passed right across the comb. the honey is still warm and flows easily. Heat extraction When spontaneous flow has stopped there is still some honey in the fragments of wax. The operator should use the knife like a saw. Consumers even like to find the flavour of pollen in their honey. as described in the following. Furthermore. If it is done with the heat of an oven. Pollen is found in boxes of all hives. the point of the knife is used to remove the cappings that are in the hollows of the comb. putting them in a vessel of hot water in between uses. I advise not mixing this pollen in and for this reason to pass the knife lightly and carefully under the cappings. to avoid discolouring the honey. the wax cappings covering the full cells are removed. In both cases everything melts – honey and wax – and drips into the receiver under the sieve. Honey obtained by this method is commonly called drained honey.If this is done soon after the harvest. Extraction by centrifugal force This extraction is done with a centrifugal extractor. Until now this method has only been used for frames from framed hives. Furthermore. the combs are uncapped in these cages. it takes place some hours after removing the bread. some thick and viscous honeys do not flow using the aforementioned procedure. However. If it cannot be done immediately after the harvest it should be done in a room that is sufficiently warm. Uncapping knife Uncapping is done with a special knife. or an ordinary one from the kitchen. These comb fragments and those put aside because they contain pollen or brood are combined and exposed to the heat of the sun or an oven. It is not poison as bees feed it to their young larvae. The vessel can be usefully placed on a hotplate. Our cage arrangement allows comb to be extracted from fixed-comb hives. It has the advantage of most complete removal of the honey and is the quickest and least laborious method. in which case too great a heat should be avoided. Before putting the combs in the extractor. Cooling separates the wax and the honey. In this case our large feeder is most useful. It is important that the knife is clean and quite hot. cutting only on the pull stroke and not on the push. It is useful to have several of them to use in succession.
so that the top-bar is at the top. Turn the box the right way up. A). In order to detach the comb from the inside walls of the box. Place cage number 2 on cage number 1. 4. Furthermore. to facilitate depositing the comb. Lift each end of the comb to disengage it from the rebate (Fig. Uncapping horse 116 . B) and place them in cage number 1. 10. C. 5. Otherwise they should be put in a warm place. Take the top-bars with the comb (Fig. 7. Invert. Place cage number 3 on all. Lifting comb. Freeing top-bar. 9. remove cage number 1 and uncap the other surface of the comb. the heat from the uncapping knife re-warms the honey and this facilitates its extraction. 2. Place these two combined cages enclosing the comb in the extractor. B. 6. Uncap the exposed surface of the comb. A.Heat required So that the centrifugal extraction works quickly and efficiently. that has been prepared by placing it on an uncapping horse. pass a knife down each side along the walls. It is best to extract in the afternoon the combs that have been taken from the hives in the morning. Turn the hive-body box containing fixed honeycomb upside down on some kind of support. two hive-bodies for example. it is important that the combs are not allowed to cool. 3. 8. Uncapping the comb 1. Rotate cage number 1 with the comb such that the top-bar is at the bottom in order to ease uncapping. so that the comb is held between the two sheets of metal.
Extracting honey with an extractor All the cages in the extractor may have our cages placed in them. then spin more rapidly to achieve extraction of one face of the comb. The necessary number of turns of the crank is found by trial and error. turn the cages round. the foreign material and the gas floats to the surface. When the extractor's cages are loaded. In any case. Before this honey reaches the height of the cages and thus impedes their movement. In which case extraction is carried out thus: spin them several times gently to empty one surface of the comb. the honey contains bubbles of air and various gases. It may also include pollen and capping debris. A barrel may be used for this if it is not made of oak. Ripener 117 . and forms a scum that is removed before drawing off honey. then rapidly. never at the back. It depends on the speed of rotation and the diameter of the extractor drum. it is rotated slowly. Tr. either to give to artificial swarms or to make up boxes with insufficient built comb. As a result of the different densities. The cages are turned the other way round and the extractor rotated again. it is left for several days in a receptacle called a ripener. Ripening At the outlet of the extractor. it is collected in a ripener. Honey leaving the comb reaches the extractor walls and runs down to the bottom. The honey escapes and hits the walls of the drum like rain. These should be taller than they are wide. A distance covered of one kilometre in three minutes on each face gives a good result. slowly at first then faster. at least two should be put in four-cage extractors. To free honey from all these foreign bodies.] extractor rotates. or at the bottom when size demands. turn the cages round and again spin rapidly to complete the extraction of the other surface of the comb. spin them several times gently to empty the other side of the comb. Otherwise the extractor jumps during operation. Comment Combs which are not too old or black can be saved. A strainer retains the larger impurities. Our cages should be placed in the extractor in such a way that the top of the comb is in front when the [tangential.
therefore. Therefore drums in tinplate with hermetic closures are to be preferred before all other receptacles. It can absorb up to 50% water. especially if we have united to achieve strength. In absorbing water the honey liquefies. obliges our customers to eat foreign honeys. or better still. Beech is very suitable. largely in barrels or drums made of wood or metal. He cannot compete with them without working against himself. In practice. Ripeners are fitted with a butterfly valve. Above all.If no more impurities are rising to the surface. To remove this sourness and stop fermentation it must be melted in a bain-marie. 118 . Crystallisation The honey. a gate valve. The beekeeper must take account of the fact that wholesalers have the right to a profit. a viscous liquid when it comes from the comb. The honey is then said to have crystallised or granulated. the honey is drawn off before it crystallises. The only way to avoid such difficulties is to store the honey in airtight containers and keep them in a cool place. should be honestly remunerated. The temperature and the plant from which the honey came modifies ad infinitum the rate at which it crystallises and the size of the crystal grains. how will the beekeeper set his price? He will gladly accept the price resulting from the interplay of supply and demand. Sale of honey I am not in favour of big profits. That risks us losing our own honey which will not keep indefinitely. these same middlemen will lower their buying price the following year. Copper and zinc corrode on contact with honey. The beekeeper may try to bypass these middlemen and himself be the wholesaler or the retailer or both. it will always end up by being listened to. But I hold that beekeeping. we produce cheaply. He will then have their profits. Tinplate is ideally suited to the purpose. Containers for honey Honey is kept in various receptacles. When these prices are not sufficiently remunerative. like any other occupation. All work deserves recompense. which are not all bad. Beekeepers will still have need of middlemen for a long time to come. Storage of honey Honey is hygroscopic. To go against this principle. If he forces the middlemen to reduce their selling price. we address ourselves to our elected representatives to ask them to set customs tariffs on foreign honey. But he must not compete with them. Oak discolours it. If our request is justified. As a result it rapidly ferments and acquires a sour and unpleasant taste. solidifies and forms a compact mass of crystals varying in size. even with the powerful beekeeping associations. Pine or fir gives honey a resinous taste. and the retailer has another profit. The beekeeper's profit will therefore not last. A little old crystallised honey mixed in the bulk may haste granulation.
with no marked taste. From this fact. Now. Dissolve a teaspoonful of it in a Bordeaux wineglass of cold rainwater. Honey called Gâtinais has been foraged almost exclusively on sainfoin. any mineral substance. stir vigorously and leave it to stand. Schuette showed that the greater the coloration of honey the richer it is in mineral substances. An insoluble precipitate gradually forms if there has been an addition of plaster. added that it was made largely by human industry. On the other hand. It certainly does not have the fault of being a chemical product. a fodder plant without any health attributes. It is at this point in time that calling it 'bee honey' no longer suffices to designate honey as natural. more or less aromatic. but neither does honey called Narbonne. honey called 'Landes'. In selling honey the big problem is sugar. and buckwheat honey. A study done at the University of Wisconsin by Prof.But there is the kind of middleman against whom beekeepers should start keen competition. when he heard of the large quantity of honey produced in Lydia (Asia Minor). honey labelled Narbonne has been foraged from an indeterminate number of flowering plants. as people have now managed to get the bees themselves to adulterate honey by making them drink sugar syrup. How can we make people appreciate the higher value of honey? By showing its superior health qualities compared with sugar. warm a sample in a bain-marie until it has become fully liquefied and stir it well with a wooden spoon. 2. As beekeepers we should primarily place our honey in the category called Narbonne. iron. copper and manganese. How should a beekeeper categorise them? In France. It produces a beautiful violet coloration if starch has been added to the honey. which has more in its favour. Herodotus. only to remind you. very white. Only the designation 'flower honey' will suffice. they are only suitable for making gingerbread. talc or chalk. there are two well characterised sorts of honey: sainfoin honey. i. On the other hand. beating it as one would eggs for an omelette. leave it to stand. and that is the retailer who profiteers and hinders honey consumption. Now commercially honey called Gâtinais generally fetches a higher price. the liquid froths abundantly if the honey contains gelatine. honey called 'Gâtinais'. 3. I mention. Dissolve a teaspoonful of it in a Bordeaux wineglass of cold rainwater. dark honey is beneficial for preventing and curing anaemia due to poor nutrition. several of which are without doubt medicinal and beneficial.e. brown if it is dextrin. Adulteration of honey Honey has been adulterated for a long time. Current traders are neither more honest nor more stupid. heather honey. These honeys of a red-brown colour and a sharp taste are not table honeys. But we are poorly armed to demonstrate the greater benefit to health of honey called Gâtinais. honeys are not uniformly priced in commerce. and stir vigorously. add three or four drops of tincture of iodine. intense blue if a thickener or flour has been added. more or less coloured. and honey of multiple origin. honey called 'Narbonne'. the liquid is yellow in colour if the honey contains none of these substances. 119 . To test for adulteration of honey. Dissolve a teaspoonful of it in a Bordeaux wineglass of cold rainwater. honey called 'Brittany'. then: 1. whose price is always lower and whose handling is infinitely easier. ground brick. The Talmud also mentions honey adulteration by water and flour.
sucrose or cane sugar is artificially extracted from sugar cane. There will occasionally be some nevertheless. then. gastric juices in the stomach and pancreatic juices in the intestine. contains glucose in considerable quantity. glucose and fructose mixed in almost equal parts. The loss will be minimal by comparison with the honey harvest that you will get. as in the spring visit. Glucose is directly and immediately assimilated without the intervention of saliva. and enters directly into the circulation to undertake its nutritive task. which it would be good to fix with lockslides. Honey: Natural plant juices and nectars contain glucose. First example You can visit the hive twice a year: around Easter and in August/September. Honey is the sugar of sugars. This process is called inversion. fructose. Second example You are only able to visit the hive once a year.Beekeeping at a distance With the People's Hive and its method. you should be generous with added boxes in order to reduce the number of natural swarms. That is what explains why. Whereas glucose and fructose do not exist in sufficient abundance where they are found. far from being contraindicated. However. It has a sweetening power 300 times stronger than that of ordinary sugar. check the level of the hive and enlarge it straight away. you harvest the honey as described in the preceding sections. from beet and even from other plants. In order to become so. it is therefore foolishness to abandon honey in order to run after so many other sugary products. you do the spring inspection and enlarging the hive. On the whole. Outside the human body. sucrose cannot immediately be assimilated. honey by contrast. It is found unaltered in the urine. In spite of its plant origin. This sugar imposes no special demands. In the spring. Also. Honey from bees contains in effect from between 71% and 77% of invert sugar. First you harvest the honey. Sugar: Industrial sugar. 120 . in order to transform sucrose into glucose. saccharin has no food value. this takes place with some difficulty. In August/September. If the digestive pathways are in a poor state. including saccharin. you can keep a hive some distance away. it must be changed into glucose. it tires the human body. gastric or intestinal juices. The value of honey Honey. you clean the floor if necessary. in August/September. It takes place naturally in our organism under the combined influence of saliva. saccharin and sugar All sugars can be placed in three categories: Saccharin: Saccharin is a coal tar derivative. It is a totally and exclusively chemical product. be generous with the boxes too. it is good for people who suffer with their stomach or who are prone to diarrhoea. we have to boil the sucrose with a very dilute acid for a certain length of time. in any event.
Let us return to the advice of old Solomon: 'My son, eat thou honey, because it is good'.
Food and remedy
'In order to maintain health, you need two things: nourishment when you are healthy, and restoration to health when you are ill. Well, in honey you will find these two things: food and remedy'. The plant realm occupies, in effect, an important place in cookery and pharmacology. Cookery could even be composed entirely of plants. Our ancestors ate little meat and lived for many years. Amongst certain religious orders, no flesh other than fish is ever eaten. And in our time, a school has been established to limit the use of animal products and increase the use of food from the plant world. Medicine could also be entirely made from plants. An old adage says: Medicina paucarum herbarum scientia (medicine is the science of a small number of plants). Plant food is of sovereign healthiness and medication through plants very effective. In a way, honey is a kind of abstract of the plant realm, as the bees go and gather it from an incalculable number of flowers of all sorts. And it is at the moment when the plant is preparing to reproduce, i.e. at the height of its vigour and strength, that the bee goes, carrying fertility to it and taking its rich nectar. So honey is a concentrated extract of the plant world, which borrows properties from plants. It is a herb tea of a thousand flowers.
Honey is better than sugar
Whereas water, nitrogenous compounds, mineral salts from food, satisfy the need for repair and building of the body tissues, sugar is the fuel for the human body, the main source of heat, of energy and muscular strength. It is only in the special form of glucose that sugar can be absorbed by the organs. Therefore it is not sugar chemically extracted from beet that we must absorb as a food which will give us strength. This artificial sugar is a precious condiment, convenient, indispensable; it is not at all a food. This sugar is after all only beet juice which, combined with its natural allies in beet has a certain beneficial usefulness, but is made harmful because it has been extracted from it by a chemical process. Refined or beet sugar is extracted and purified using quicklime, carbonic acid, sulphur, beef blood, animal charcoal. Glucose, which accompanies or replaces it in confectionery, syrups or fruit preserves, is extracted from starch residues by means of sulphuric acid. Both products are bad: they are dead foods, irritating, devitalised and demineralised. Artificial sugar spoils the teeth and dulls the appetite. It tires and overheats the stomach and intestines by using the invertase that they secrete, and which they already need in order to change the starches and fats from our food into glucose, thus giving them an abnormal amount of work which they are not intended for. It often happens that the sugar is partly rejected by the body without having been used, especially in weak, ill and diabetic individuals, of whom the digestive organs secrete scarcely enough invertase necessary for transforming sugar into glucose: from this situation arises a multiplicity of organ disorders. Natural sugar, found in grapes, fruit and especially in honey, is the only one suitable for food because, naturally found in the desired form of glucose, this sugar is immediately assimilated and enters the blood at once, and as a result, without placing any strain on the digestive organs. In a word, honey is the steam that you put in the boiler; sugar is the cold water that has to be changed into steam. Besides, honey is the sap of flowers, it is a sugar made by nature herself, the finest chemist. 121
This sugar, in a concentrated form ready for eating and storage, is offered to us in the honey gathered by the bees from the fragrant corolla of flowers. In addition, if the honey is extracted mechanically by a well equipped beekeeper, it has no contact with the hands; it maintains an absolute purity and a cleanliness and as a result the delicacy of its smell and the richness of its properties.
Honey is a powerful food
According to recent research, 30 g honey has the same nutritive value as 21 g haricot beans; 31.33 g egg yolk; 35 g bread; 42 g lean pork; 48.20 g lean beef; 82.43 g skate; 64.43 g mackerel; 89.12 g potatoes; 122.50 g grapes; 123.50 g milk. According to the same research, a small slice of bread and honey provides 169 calories, allowing 78 calories for the 30 g bread and 91 calories for the 30 g honey. Now a man doing a modest amount of work only needs 2500 calories a day. A calorie is a unit of heat, it is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a kilo of water by one degree centigrade. That is not to say that honey must constitute the whole of our nourishment, but should occupy a proper place in it. Because honey is a very rich food, as it is a sugar, and the most easily assimilated and as a result the most nourishing of sugars. Besides, honey is food in a most concentrated form; it transforms itself almost completely into chyle, into blood. The proof of that is that the bee feeds itself with honey, during the long winter months, without voiding itself. Honey is therefore the most appropriate food for our time of bodily indigence and organic degeneration. It is especially suitable for children, old people, people who are weak, convalescents, in particular for those who are anaemic. Also honey should replace sugar, everywhere, especially in herbal teas, where besides it will add to their properties, since it comes from the flowers of the plants which make up the tea. In the morning, sugar your milk or your coffee with honey. Have it as a dessert after every meal. Spread on bread, on its own or mixed with butter, it makes the best snack for children and even for adults. Should you want a good chocolate drink, melt some honey in a bain-marie and mix it with cocoa powder.
Honey is an excellent remedy
Natural honey, sap and quintessence of flowers, taken at the moment when the plant is at the height of its vigour and the flower is in all its beauty, is the most universal of remedies. An eminent digestive by itself, honey also helps in the digestion of other foods. Its aromatic principles, its acids, stimulate the salivary glands, and besides honey does not use the gastric juices. This overabundance of saliva, of gastric juice, contributes to the digestion of other foods and carries along the accumulated residues from the stomach: that is why honey is digestive and somewhat laxative. Honey is thus especially suitable in cases of stomach ache, painful digestion, constipation. Honey is also refreshing: it is recommended in cases of inflammation of the stomach and intestines, in kidney ailments and in bladder problems. For insomnia: it calms the nerves and encourages sleep. Many diabetics have benefited by using it.
Finally, honey contains iron and especially, formic acid, that formic acid so much recommended these days by medical experts in order to increase the activity and strength of the muscular system and to stave off fatigue. Furthermore, this formic acid makes honey antiseptic: that is how it combats intestinal fermentations. Antiseptic, refreshing and calming, honey makes an excellent ointment for healing wounds, bruises, ulcers, spots and inflammations. For the same reason, honey is immensely useful in hoarseness, coughs, colds, influenza, bronchitis, tonsillitis, catarrh, asthma, and mouth ulcers in children. We can therefore say that nectar is truly a beneficial juice, a panacea placed by the Creator in the chalice of the flower and reverently gathered by the bees. To be thorough, we must say however, that the frequent use of honey would not be suitable either in the case of liver problems, because of its formic acid and because it encourages obesity, or in the case of a tendency to stroke, because honey is absorbed in the stomach and as a result rapidly, even violently.
What others say about honey
Sugar is an anti-physiological stimulant, a tiring food which profoundly exhausts after the brief over-stimulation that it produces. It irritates the tissues, and the strength that it produces is only the expression of the attack that it makes on all our organs. It is an irritating and harmful chemical substance. Honey, with its sugars already combined with mineral salts, with its active diastases, with its vitalised floral energies, is indeed a living and physiologically stimulating food whose use should be more widespread, because it is, so to speak, a hundred times more dynamogenic and nourishing than chemical sugar. Also it ought again to take up the important place it used to occupy in food before the discovery of chemical sugar. Dr Paul Carton Industrially produced sugar is strongly constipating and stimulating. It damages the stomach, destroys the teeth and often leads, even amongst the most robust individuals, to a marked glucosuria which can lead to true diabetes, because the digestive organs do not transform it and only partly assimilate it. We are not constituted to take advantage of it in this dead chemical form. The number of deaths caused by diabetes has, for this reason, quadrupled in the last thirty years and is ever increasing. The true natural condensed sugar is honey. It should thus, contrary to our present habit, occupy first place in our diet. The more the human being gets to know nature, the more he will want bees; and honey, the sugar of so many past generations, will again, we are convinced, be the preferred sugar of future generations because that is the truth of the matter. Dr Victor Arnulphy The aromatic principles and the acids in honey which give it its distinctive flavour and its scent, stimulate the salivary glands to produce more; digestion is thus made easier. But they also exert their antiseptic qualities on the stomach by counteracting gastric fermentation. In any event, the main effect of honey is exerted in the liver. Sugar, like honey, heads for the liver but it must, before that, undergo splitting into dextrose and levulose, whereas honey does not require any splitting, itself containing straight dextrose and levulose, substances which immediately go straight into the liver in order to pass 123
a small glass of mead liqueur: your sleep will be most peaceful and your dreams sweetest. so much so that honey is essentially digestive and hepatic. and I seem to see the very fount of Poetry flowing and feeding me with its golden blood sweetened with loving flowers. black coffee.from there into the blood. and it is amongst the murmuring hives that I would like to sleep my last sleep. Alin Caillas The miracle is the bee. cakes and pastries but you must not heat it for more than fifteen minutes. take a spoonful of honey. bees do not allow us only to relate to the earth in a general way. and are very satisfied with it. which does not vanish with the first puff of wind. my eighty-fourth year. Before going to bed. something which is at the same time a dessert and a remedy. a strengthening food of the first order. These are mineral substances. they have become no longer just some food or other. in hot drinks in general. a food and a scent. to be agreeable. Precise and detailed research studies have allowed us to set out the facts and to say that. or. a curiosity and a blessing. but more. Jane Catulle-Mendes Honey in foods Honey should comprise part of the dessert at every meal. thanks to the presence of these substances in natural honeys. It is true to say that. but also in the most particular way. honey must have an acceptable taste. Those who love it take honey instead of sugar in white coffee. if you prefer. Dr Dubini There is another category of substances. covered in good honey. a pleasure and a profit. like a bear – the delicious treasures that they give to us. Emile Blémont I taste the marvellous honey. in certain situations. to taste and to smell. Gourmets are warned that dessert wine is less good after honey: you must therefore have honey at the end. 124 . always making something which is at the same time agreeable to look at. It is probably thanks to this earthly ambrosia. slippery with round wax cells. that I have been able to reach. What is more entrancing is that through their delicate flower puree. Maurice Bouchor Most certainly. from time immemorial. You could spread a thin layer of honey on bread and butter. producing a diuretic and laxative effect. not without difficulty. in three or four bites. it is a delicious delicacy. tea. but which impart a special character to honey. found a lot in Switzerland. my fondness for bees is very much connected with what I like. At least. take a crust of bread – the honey is better with crust than crumb – eat it. after every meal. with remarkable assimilability. Because these material substances are especially rich in phosphates and also in iron. Honey must take the place of sugar in prepared dishes. much less important from the point of view of weight. Miguel Zamcoïs The bee alone knows how to extract the flower's most delightful property and at the same time to make of it something lasting.
it must reach 31° Baumé [density: 1. beating all the time. a little vanilla. Reduce to 4 litres by boiling. The almonds may be replaced with pistachios or filberts.]) then bottle. which the egg whites will have liquefied. Liqueur gilded with honey Add enough water to 4 kg of honey to make 8 litres of mixture. six teaspoons of honey. pour out onto a greased marble surface.Toffees and honey sweets Mix four teaspoons of grated [block] sugar. put small well-spaced heaps of the mixture on a greased griddle. Leave it on the heat until the honey. whisk four egg whites until stiff and fold them in with the honey. mark out with a knife. 125 . where they will harden while cooling. Next shape the mixture to a normal thickness. then mix (after cooling) with 3 litres of good quality pure alcohol in which 3 sticks of crystallised vanilla have been macerated for between 8 and 15 days. In this way you will get 7 litres of delicious liqueur.27 kg/l. 400 g water and 40 g chalk for two minutes. so that they do not contain too much moisture. taking care to stir it from time to time to prevent it sticking. Tr. Pass the warm syrup through a filter as many times as necessary to get it clear (to keep. allow to go cold. After several minutes. having reached that stage mix in 1 kilo of almonds. Bring to the boil. reduce the heat and stir constantly with a wooden spatula to avoid boiling. After this. place in a tin with layers of silver foil. Beat the sugar and the eggs together well. Honey crunches Take 125 g caster sugar. separate into pieces. four of butter or a half litre of cream. four of grated chocolate. Honey nougat Cook 1 kilo of good quality honey to small-crack stage. (They keep well. Leave the resulting semi-liquid paste for half an hour. included. 2 whole eggs. Using a spoon. or as is frequent. Add 50 g animal charcoal and an egg white mixed with water. remove from the heat and leave to cool for a quarter of an hour. 65 g melted honey. stir with a wooden spoon. has recovered the small-crack stage (which you test in a glass of cold water as above). test in a glass of cold water (to check that the mixture has hardened). 150 g good quality flour. transfer them to a marble surface or a plate. either in the steriliser or in a low oven. Place in a copper basin on a high heat. and before it goes cold cut the nougat in strips of the size you want. blanched and dried in advance. Little by little add the honey then the flour.) Honey syrup Boil 2 kg honey. when they are a golden colour.
Add a pinch of cinnamon. Place the mixture in Pullman tins. from which the bitter pith has been removed. Roll out the mixture to a thickness of about 2 cm. rye. Orange blossom cream Steep 125 g orange blossoms in 2 litres of spirits of between 18° and 20° proof. Place drops of the mixture. between three and four centimetres apart on a buttered baking tray. Cook in a low oven for five or six minutes. Turn the moulds two or three times so that they are cooked on all sides – after an hour they can be opened to check that they are cooking properly. When you are ready to cook. Strawberry cream Infuse some strawberries in brandy for between two and three weeks. on to a greased marble slab. Mix with some honey syrup. cherry. mix 250 g honey and 125 g butter over a low heat. Season to taste. Add 600 g honey dissolved in 600 g water (or better. add 750 g honey dissolved in a half-litre of water. one of mace and two cloves. honey syrup). add 6 g potassium carbonate to taste. about the width of a 1 franc piece. then turn up the heat to crack point. Honey macaroons Mix 2 eggs with 200 g flour. Cook over a low heat for about two or three hours. Grease the moulds. Place spoonfuls. Honey pastilles Melt 100 g sugar in 100 g honey over a low heat. Place in the sun to age. in a litre of brandy for fifteen days. add some honey dissolved in water and leave to clear. of the size that you want. Leave for several days. After they have cooled down they can easily be removed from the baking tray. blend and strain. clarify. Stir the two mixtures together. squeeze through a sieve. The flour you use can be wheat. maize or buckwheat. The macaroons will turn golden and spread. Spice bread Mix 500 g flour with 500 g honey. Aniseed honey Steep 5 g aniseed for 8 days in a litre of spirits of between 18° and 20° proof.Honey Curaçao Steep 50 g orange peel. Follow the same procedure for creams of blackberry. raspberry etc. This mixture will keep for a very long time. 126 . Separately. Filter after cooling. for two or three hours.
prevents constipation and is very good for inflammation of the stomach. honey contains two sorts of natural sugar. if we place bandages which have been coated in honey on a wound. gently laxative and purgative properties. It is very probable that the cells and tissues of the wound absorb them when we apply the honey. it does not dry out and the bandages do not stick. the honey draws fluid from the tissues. If you mix the honey with a little goose grease. there is no better treatment for gastrointestinal upsets. dangerous germs. and even attacks the microbe.Honey in remedies Thanks to its numerous properties. In order to effect a cure. For this reason and also because of its density and its sugars. 127 . for burns and boils. Not being greasy. If it is the case. she gives it the elements which guarantee its keeping qualities. hoarseness Take a coffee-spoon of warm honey every two hours throughout the day. Also. then its curative power is even more understandable. Ripe honey is treated by the bee in a way that allows it to keep almost indefinitely. no unhealthy germ is able to live in honey. In the same way. and he adds that honey would be the most important food for those with excitable constitutions. This lymph carries with it the pus and poisons. Influenza Take some weak tea strongly flavoured with honey and a little rum and lemon. The honey kills them through its antiseptic action. An Austrian surgeon. Mouth ulcers. In addition. Coughs. because of its consistency. Honey softens and does not irritate the skin and. it does not leave any excessive discharge. one spoonful an hour before dinner and another in the evening before going to bed. thrush Rub with honey to which you have added alum or borax. sticks to the wound and softens everything. It is because it is drawing water from the atmosphere. for the following reasons. some mineral salts and the important vitamins. honey can be put to advantage in all sorts of ways. Even living. bronchitis. When we leave a pot of honey exposed to the air in a humid environment. considered honey to be among the best healers. and even the bladder. either internally or externally. with its refreshing. we notice that the level of the honey steadily rises. wounds must be left undisturbed as much as possible. it will make the remedy more effective. we may safely use honey for wound dressing. Digestive problems Honey. According to Dr Guerin. after experimenting. such as typhoid bacillus (which thrives in most food) perish if they are placed in honey. Or alternatively use rose honey made of honey and rose oil.
16 g. rub the hands with honey and wear gloves. clear honey in a little warm water and bathe the eyes with drops of the liquid. Skin inflammations Make lotions of honey diluted in water. Burns Make compresses of honey or honey water. scurf Make lotions of honey diluted with water. Some minutes afterwards. abscesses Use an ointment made of heated honey kneaded into rye flour or boiled onions. honey. orange flower water. cream of tartar and 70 g. Use honey soap. 128 . cleaning the eyes themselves. the last time just before going to bed.Intestinal worms Give children honey mixed with a little garlic. Honey soap Knead 50 g. Insomnia Take two or three spoonfuls of honey before bed to calm the nerves. of good white soap (grated) with 130 g. Ulcers. without however. four or five times daily. Constipation Take frequent doses of warm milk sweetened with honey. Cracked skin. Shaving rash Make lotions of honey water or rub with a little honey before wiping clean. Inflammation of the eyes Dissolve some drops of pure. remove the secretions which leak out from under the eyelids. or late evening.
Mead Comment Mead is an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey. This paste has an amazing power to draw and remove pus. It does not block pores with impurities as do fats. Whitlow To heal whitlows or suppurating wounds. mix well and make into a paste with a clear consistency. in water. Making mead is a difficult procedure. It is therefore important to eliminate bad microbes and use those that give good results. Mix liquid honey and cornflour to form a thick paste. 129 . To give skin whiteness and softness. Rub for as long as possible. healing is very quick. spread this paste on the skin. Spread a thin layer on the wound and keep cool. This cream with a white glaze. rinse off and wash. The alcohol contained in the water after the fermentation is like the excrement of these microbes. Cod liver oil Cod liver oil can be replaced by honey-butter comprising two parts fresh butter and one part honey beaten together. sugar.Skin care The much vaunted cosmetics and soaps do not surpass honey water for giving skin whiteness and softness. it may have its place amongst those who like it and all beekeepers. is more easily accepted by children. fresh tasting with a hint of Sauternes. an infinitely small organism. Fermentation Fermentation is the growth and multiplication of a microbe. nothing surpasses the following recipe. under the influence of appropriate nourishment. I do not see a future for mead. vigorous enough to resist the bad microbes. who will give them in return a good quality and pleasant mead. I advise to entrust their honey to a specialist in honey fermentation. Honey does not burn the skin as glycerine does. It is more expensive than wine and often not as good. take one egg yolk. There are many kinds of microbes that can carry out this fermentation. a teaspoonful of camphorated alcohol and a soup-spoonful of really fresh turpentine. to know what fermentation is. an equal quantity of honey. It has only one fault and that is it is so easy. But glycerine and fats occur in all commercial preparations. It is important to eliminate everything that holds up the growth of good microbes and on the other hand to give them everything that will favour their growth. which is its medium just as air is ours. Before washing yourself. However. Those who do not want to specialise in mead production and who want a good product without the risk of excessive expense. They differ in vigour. their products are not all the same. To understand the problems it is important.
This concentration is sufficient to assure that the liquid keeps well. Boil the honey in a tinned or enamel cauldron with an equal weight of water. 24 kg per 100 litres of mead of 10 degrees. When the syrup is clear. When the liquid's temperature has fallen to 20–25°. pollen was used to ferment mead. It may be bottled a month later. 10 grammes of tannin in water. However. they will be less inhibited than us because these infinitely small organisms have greater resistance. Excess sugar retards fermentation. pour in 120 grammes of tartaric acid dissolved in a little hot water. Remove scum. 2. These have a lower value and give us an inferior product or reduce the value of the product in the long term. i. Chablis. Pour into a scrupulously clean cask of 100 litres capacity. The microbes are inhibited by sugar and alcohol just as if we were to be plunged in excrement or milk. Otherwise a mead does not contain enough sugar and will never acquire enough alcohol to inhibit fermentation. Alcohol production also retards fermentation the more the alcohol concentration approaches 15 degrees. Making this requires a knack that is possessed by specialists. fermentation slows down. Artificial method In this method the honey only provides the sugar and the alcohol.It is thus necessary to dispense with making sweet mead. especially if the fruit provides at least a third of the sugar.e.4 kg per degree in 100 litres. which is nevertheless one of the best foods for us. Above and below this temperature. Making sparkling mead should also be avoided. If the liquid is cloudy. Stir vigorously and insert a fermentation lock. Temperature The best temperature is from 20–25°C. It should be abandoned as it has never given French meads that taste good and are pleasant to drink. Degree Mead should be made to 8–10° alcohol. for example. The fermentation is artificial. Traditional method In this method. After 15-20 days. all the yeast. Yeast from other sources does not give the same results. 130 . clear it with 2–3 grammes of isinglass. tannin and salts. then 500 grammes of yeast of any of the following varieties: Champagne. Natural method In this method some fruit provides part of the sugar and alcohol. Fill the cask to within 10 centimetres of the rim with pure water or preferably boiled water. 24 grammes of honey is used per litre and per degree. add 6 grammes of nutrient salts Le Clair and 60 grammes of ammonium phosphate. rack off into a sulphured cask. Now. a slow fermentation allows foreign microbes to appear. Because of the loss during production. In our view this is the best method. Sauternes.
Fill the cask with fresh. 3.. by using thick glass. Crush in a tub any of the following: 35 kg grapes. by adding a second sheet of glass above the first and by keeping the extractor facing the sun. They are based on the same principle as the gardener's cold frame. 60 kg plums. Transfer to a scrupulously clean 100litre cask. A fermentation lock is placed on the cask. They can be mixed to advantage. the wax cappings and comb fragments remain. The impurities in the other methods absorb some of the melted wax. Boil 17 kg of honey in a tinned or enamel cauldron with an equal weight of water. This method of melting is economical and does not have the difficulties of the others. 30 kg plums and 50 kg blackberries. 80 kg currants. or preferably boiled. keeping the proportions given. If using three types of fruit. 75 kg gooseberries. 75 kg strawberries. 2. Wax After the honey has been extracted. Remove the scum. If one is using two types of fruit take. for example. water. the honey seven tenths. 45 kg cherries. Finally. But it largely suits cappings and really clean dry comb (cire en branches). Add to the cask when its contents are at a temperature of 20-25°. 100 kg blackberries. To render wax for further use. After driving bees from a skep and extracting its honey we are also left with the remains of dry and empty comb. The cask is rolled from time to time to disperse the crust. it has to be separated from its impurities: pollen. 33 kg blackberries and 12 kg grapes. This temperature is attained more readily if the inside is painted black. Cast iron and un-tinned steel gives wax a brown colour.e. When the syrup is clear. Two forms of wax are available for rendering: dry wax (cire en branches) and wet wax (cire grasse). for example. I do not know if this loss of wax 131 . add 60 grammes of tartaric acid.965 kg/l. There are also certain waters rich in iron. Tinned steel can be used. The fruit should of course be of high quality and thoroughly ripe. take. i. 20 kg plums. Comments 1. larval corpses. When fermentation ceases the liquid is racked off into a sulphured cask and cleared as usual. The closer the melting temperature is to 64° the better the quality of the wax. Various methods are used for purifying wax involving melting either by solar heating or in an oven or with hot water. Melting by solar heating Solar wax extractors for melting wax this way are commercially available. These three methods are based on the fact that beeswax melts at a temperature of 62–64° and that in melting it separates spontaneously from its impurities because it is less dense. the mead is bottled when it has properly cleared. These extractors may reach a temperature of 88°. The fruit provides three tenths of the sugar. dust. cocoons of pupae.Here is a recipe that has given us good results. about 0. Moreover it gives an excellent product.
Preparations are made for a plentiful supply of boiling water in a boiler or otherwise. the bowl is placed in as warm a place as possible. remove the tub from the heat and allow it to cool slowly. Take your household washtub. it is surrounded by insulation. When the wax has melted. the cleaner the wax. When no more wax comes out of the ball. such boiling should be avoided so as to keep the wax at its best. All are placed in a bread oven after the bread has been removed or in the oven of a kitchen cooker. The wax once tipped into the tub is stirred until it has completely melted. so as to slow its cooling.is more than the saving in time and fuel. Three days before melting. 132 . Then it is immediately removed with a large spoon to put it in the colander or sieve prepared on one side. This tub is filled to no more than two-thirds so that if the water boils. cover the bottom with some twigs to stop the ball contacting the bottom of the tub. The residue left in the colander or sieve is discarded and the procedure repeated. the combs are broken into small pieces and immersed in water. sawdust. Melting in an oven This method is also economical. When this is finished. After these three days the melting is carried out as follows. a washtub for example. the wax rises to the surface of the water. the wax does not spill on the cooker. A stone or a weight will keep the wax under water. acquires a brown colour and an unpleasant smell. When the water is sufficiently hot. in case one is caught by it boiling. Boiling water is poured into it until no more wax comes out. A bowl is placed on the cooler part of the cooker containing four or five centimetres of water on top of which is placed a mesh sieve or an ordinary colander. but it often happens that the wax burns. Melting with hot water Melting this way is quicker and gives a good product. etc. but precautions should be taken to ensure that no wax falls on the cooker as it is very inflammable. The slower the cooling. Furthermore. It suits all types of wax and any amount. and filled with water to onethird full. Tie it firmly to form a kind of ball. The combs are broken into small pieces and placed in a metal mesh strainer or in an ordinary colander. Then a sufficiently large receptacle is taken. In any case. This water is brought to the boil. It is useful to have cold water to hand to pour into the tub. I doubt it. The remaining impurities sink to the bottom. The crude wax that has been soaking in advance is tipped into this water. Unfortunately it can only be used in summer. Alternative method Put all wax debris in a strong cloth (old sack). or the bowl containing the wax is full. Put the ball in the tub and fill with water so that the ball is covered to a depth of 10 centimetres. I have high regard for the solar extractor. it is left to cool very slowly and without disturbing the receptacle containing the wax. Underneath is placed a receptacle of appropriate size containing water to a depth of four or five centimetres. In any case. Squeeze the ball from time to time with a stick. here is how to proceed with melting this way. The procedure can be carried out on a kitchen cooker.
Without making recourse to difficult and costly chemical analysis. This is the amount for about 100 kg melted wax. A wax block should be slightly bulging at the top. it often happens that the wax is adulterated. as setting. The best adhesive agent is furnished by a mixture of half a litre of sulphuric acid added to two litres of water. Colour of wax Purified wax varies in colour from pale yellow to yellow-brown. Melt the suspect wax. or only one degree higher it is not pure. A small amount of gelatine may be added to the melted wax. it melts between 62 and 64°. It is thought that this colour is given to wax by the pollen that the bees consume while they are making the wax. they are rubbed with sawdust while they are still hot. one gramme of alum is added per litre. even at the slowest rate. If the wax is poured too hot the top surface is furrowed or covered with deep cracks. Alum also shows the same clearing properties. They can also be boiled in washing soda containing sawdust. This layer is scraped off. To avoid dangerous spitting. The wax is then re-melted as many times as necessary to obtain the desired purity. Cleaning moulds and bowls To clean the moulds and bowls used in rendering wax. never the other way round. Sulphuric acid can be replaced with alcohol. Take care not to start a fire. If it melts one degree lower. If the wax is poured too cold the bulge is more pronounced and there are parallel lines on the sides of the block. When the wax is very dark with excessive impurities. is unable to purify it. Adulteration of wax As beeswax fetches a very high price and the pure substances to adulterate it are very cheap. the acid is added slowly to the water. If it is pure. After the wax has set they form a layer of varying thickness under the block (pied de cire). three quarters of a litre of sulphuric acid are added for 100 kg wax. They are greased with oil and warmed before pouring in the wax. Moulds for wax Wax moulds are sized according to the tastes and needs of each person.Purification of wax During cooling. 133 . In this case. the sediment layer is scraped off. Comb that is mouldy and partly eaten by wax moth only ever gives at first attempt a poor quality wax. and in a bowl containing a few centimetres of water. In this case it is necessary to make the liquid really adhesive by adding substances that trap the impurities and force them to be deposited. It may be found helpful to add a small amount of hot water to the bottom of the moulds. it is possible by the following methods to see if the wax is pure. The re-melting is preferably done in a bain-marie to avoid charring. Each time. the small impurities fall to the bottom of the bowl.
Yellow wax. Now. Polishing wax Yellow wax. yellow ochre. dissolves completely and causes no deposit. in a room without a fire and by day. poplar. fir. etc. willow. 150 g. 400 g.58% water and volatile oils.. Spread the first coat on the wooden flooring that has been well cleaned in advance and allowed to dry. 22. 100 g.. sweet chestnut. When it has melted. When this coat is dry give it a second coat. Skeps yield wax in proportion to their capacity. but not more.Dissolve the wax in turpentine. Propolis contains 76. 134 . rosin. black combs contain as much wax as others. Those who use fixed comb produce a lot especially if they practise suffocation (sulphuring) of the bees. The remainder of the wax. stays in the residues which certain companies may turn to account using suitable solvents. malleable when it is warm. Old. But by ordinary methods only 6 or 7 grammes are extracted. The less charcoal added the lighter the colour of the resulting polish. Melt the wax in a bain-marie. a square decimetre of comb contains 11 grammes of wax. A skep of 30 litres will therefore yield 500 to 600 grammes of wax. thick. It is a resinous substance which the bees collect from the buds of pine.27% wax. Uncapping comb from frame beekeeping yields a quantity of wax equivalent to one or two percent of the honey extracted. 1 kg. a rampart or barricade for defending the city. Their greater weight is due to the impurities that have accumulated in them and which even impede the extraction of the wax by absorbing it. 100 g. animal charcoal. Profit from wax Beekeepers who use frames produce little wax. Propolis is a very sticky substance. the wax is adulterated. add drop by drop the resin that you have previously dissolved in turpentine. Note that the weight is no guide to the value of the wax.15% resin and 1. potash dissolved in a little water (half a litre). turpentine.. dissolution is incomplete or the solution is turbid. stir the mixture vigorously until it becomes lukewarm. Pure wax remains transparent. 300 to 400 grammes. Remove from the heat. Propolis About propolis Propolis. has been known from the time of Aristotle. After having boiled these two substances in two litres of water for half an hour add 125 g. then add the animal charcoal and stir until it has completely cooled. If there is a deposit. A hive of 30 litres contains 10 litres or cubic decimetres of space between the combs and 20 cubic decimetres of comb. brittle and hard when it is cold. Encaustication (painting) of floorboards Here is an excellent recipe.
sealing wax. and for preventing rusting of stove-pipes.Bees use propolis to erect defensive walls and to embalm small animals that have entered the hive and which the bees cannot otherwise remove. Grind some purified propolis. Dissolve it to saturation in a bowl of alcohol. This is all the more reason to carry out the honey harvest and preparation for winter early enough. Wood and tools coated with propolis are cleaned with alcohol. to protect themselves from hawk-moths and various predators. cloths and tools. bees often build two or three rows of pillars out of propolis and wax across it. This varnish spreads with a brush and dries quickly. After preparing the hive for winter there is no reason to open the hive. the varnish could replace grafting compound. ammonia. 135 . for example mice. It could also be used for sealing leaks in watering-cans. etc. it is very useful to smear them with Vaseline or oil. when it is time to enlarge the entrance to the hive. In any case. Purification of propolis Expose it to cold to harden it. propolis can be used in the smoker and can also be burnt on live coals for purifying and perfuming the air of rooms. Use of propolis Propolis can be used to make varnish. As regards the propolis that is always found on the tops of the top-bars. there is little of it. The varnish is made a lot shinier if it is exposed to gentle heat in an oven. These staggered pillars form a narrow resinous entrance allowing only bees to pass. etc. filling joints in joinery and cracks in barrels. cockchafers. In any case. It will dissolve. Cover it with boiling water. Then grind it up. But the entrance will certainly not have been reduced if it has been fitted with a metal entrance piece (mouse guard). snails. To minimise propolisation of wood. The propolis melts along with the wax it contains. lizards. Dealing with propolis Propolis placed in the voids of the People's Hive with fixed combs causes no inconvenience. propolis is removed from around it. You will have a varnish that can be coloured with pigments. In its natural state. Moreover. The varnish can be used to paint hives. The galleries made with it are used by the bees in winter and facilitate their movement. especially the top of the roof. at this time it would be harmful to remove propolis. In spring. Inside the hive it may be pleasant for the bees and could attract swarms. it is removed each time the top-bars are exposed. so as to ease replacement of the boxes by sliding them horizontally. If the flight hole is large. petrol or turpentine. After re-cooling you will have a cake of propolis at the bottom of the bowl and on the surface of the water a crust of wax.
e. For this preferably use a jar of clear glass so that you can see when it is empty. without lifting it. A chemical phenomenon takes place more or less spontaneously transforming the syrup into a white paste which can be moulded according to requirements. While it is boiling add 3 grammes of cream of tartar and. Take a good spatula and stir vigorously. it is necessary to put pure honey in the pot with some water added: honey two thirds. Furthermore. should have been done in the autumn. in March or April. commercial candy is always made of sugar which is not suitable for bees. It is therefore better not to feed in winter unless the colonies are absolutely in need of it. i. But at this time. least of all in winter. Making up the stores. and this burnt sugar cannot be given to bees. Jam-jar One may always make use of a jam-jar covered with cloth and inverted on the combs. Allow to cool to about 35–40°. However. Bring to the boil on a hot flame for between 15 and 20 minutes so as to reach a temperature of about 120°C. cover with a cloth of not too close a weave and tie it with string. Fondant I advise against using fondant or candy. add a litre of boiling water to facilitate rapid dissolution while stirring the contents on the heat. Invert the pot on a square of metal mesh in the middle of the cloth covering the top-bars after cutting out of it 136 . Feeding is more harmful in winter than in spring. at honey harvest time. Fill the jar with warm syrup. This candy is guaranteed to look white and like a fondant sweetmeat.Winter feeding Comments Beekeepers should not need to feed their bees in winter. Supplementing the feed will be done in spring. near the end of cooking. Here is a means of making good such a delay. water one third (by weight). occasionally one may lack time or inclination. However we offer the following recipe for candy for bees: Put 3 kg crystallised sugar in a preserving pan. if they were insufficient. or at the time of preparing for winter. It is difficult to make and it often happens that you end up with caramel without intending so. continuously stirring. 0–500 grammes of honey.
Our quilt. If none is available. Put an empty hive-body box on the hive and fill it with rags to conserve heat round the jam-jar. if well filled and packed. they are cleaned as soon as possible and the propolis and wax sticking to them removed. or icing sugar should be used. We draw your attention to the fact that granulated or caster sugars are not suitable for making this paste. Cover the hive with its quilt and roof. is sufficient for this. beekeepers can repair old equipment that is not occupied by bees and make new equipment or place orders so as to receive equipment in time. the sugar one has in stock is reduced to powder. In any case it is important to work quickly to minimise heat loss from the brood chamber and carefully to cover the brood chamber to keep it at the right temperature. Sugar paste Sugar paste can also be used. 137 . very straight. However. A sulphur candle is burnt under the combs to protect them from wax moths. We prefer to remove all the comb leaving only 5 mm which serves as a starter. To make the paste melt 750 g honey without adding water. In any case. this work should be done early because the wax should be melted as soon as possible and because in winter comb cannot be handled without damaging it. Using sugar paste The paste is placed in a thin cloth like a poultice then deposited on the top-bars under the covercloth. Stop when the honey will not absorb any more sugar. Inspection of equipment In winter. Sugar paste is better than fondant but not better than honey. Rodents are very fond of wax and even of wood to which some wax or propolis adheres.a square smaller than the mesh. Add sugar bit by bit. They have to be ground to a flour. Storage of hive-body boxes The boxes are stored away from damp and rodents. Beekeeping in winter Cleaning the hive-body boxes After having recovered the boxes given to the bees to clean out the honey. Icing sugar is best for making this paste. 750 grammes of honey easily absorb 1 kg sugar. while working the mixture. white comb can be retained.
The slightest knock may detach the bees.). and appreciate what at first was judged to be of no value. Above all it constitutes a harmful over exertion of the bees. to move a hive less than three kilometres. which are preferably done in March or April. from the beginning of March. because it often happens that the bees die of suffocation during the journey. In winter. I prefer to move hives in the warmer months. It causes chilling and consumption of honey which the bees turn into heat in such circumstances. put all the hives in disorder by turning them in different directions without moving them from their existing sites. in the evening. And peace be with the bees in winter. opening the hive is avoided for whatever reason. For this consumption of honey is a loss to the beekeeper. Beekeepers can benefit from this by rereading books and journals on beekeeping. This applies in winter as much to moves. The winter generation has to repair the over exertion of previous generations by a total rest so as to avoid degeneration of the colony. Moving hives When there is a need to change the site of a hive it can be done in winter after the bees have not been out for 10-15 days. Of course. Et vidit Deus quod esset bonum (Gen. If everyone were to do the same. Leaving bees in peace You will avoid giving the hives even the slightest jolt. and proceeding as described in the following. one must first deal with the ventilation of the hive. it is important always to avoid shocks. and put their lives at risk. advances in beekeeping would be faster. If it is a small distance proceed as follows: the first day. A second read enables one to understand what was not understood the first time. even the queen. Any disturbance of the hive causes the bees to hum and makes them consume more honey.Leisure time Bad weather and long evenings give leisure time. always working in the evenings. modifying the disorder and tripling the move each day. change the disorder and move all the hives three metres. which should be done before or after winter. in the evening. and repeat this procedure. The summer generations of bees work 24 hours a day when circumstances permit it. On the second day. To ventilate the hive it is covered by a metal mesh without anything else during the journey. Beekeepers will also benefit from leisure time to note the difficulties they had and the observations they made and communicate them to the editor of their beekeeping journal. The entrance is closed in the evening with a metal mesh and the move made as quickly as possible. people advise putting it in a dark cellar for three days before moving it to its final position. I do not like moving hives in winter. taking care to orientate the combs parallel to the direction of travel and to avoid shocks so as not to break the comb. 138 . In summer. as to repairs. Let us respect the laws of nature. without any precaution other than ensuring that the hives are not jolted. If it involves a move of at least three kilometres.
however.e. there is only one time when we can get the bees to make comb and that is at the nectar flow. I know well that when the bees are made to build comb out of season. they use a considerable amount of honey for it. But we should try to reduce the cost of production of honey. The experiments I have done with very great care have. then join these hooks with a steel wire. All this has to be very small. of course. is subject to non-uniform temperatures: warmer at the top and cooler at the bottom. because it saves a lot of time. When the beekeeper cuts the wax sheet. As for the straightness of comb. If beekeepers are concerned about the vigour of their bees they would renew all the wax of their hives every three years. and because it looks after the health of the bees. which will be filled first? A priori. Elimination of wax foundation Embossed wax foundation is expensive. the bees. strengthened by the bees. which happens to the most practised. As a conclusion to some practical experiments in beekeeping. And bee sweat is wax that they can use in the construction of comb. What should be done? Purely and simply dispense with wax foundation. But beekeepers insist that using wax foundation is economical and guarantees straightness of the combs and reduces drones. to make it happen. Georges de Layens wrote: 'There is a benefit. one fitted with embossed sheets and the other with empty comb from the extractor. comb built by the bees is only extended according to their needs. Even if we give the bees wax foundation the amount will still be too big to be feasible in a profitable apiary. It is economical because it eliminates wax foundation. which is lost if they do not have comb to construct. On the other hand. would have to take suitable and expensive drinks. The beekeeper has to place in each frame of his hives four or five hooks. given the opposite result'. and it is totally covered with bees so 139 .e. to let the bees do their own construction'. if her constitution required her to sweat in another season. during the nectar flow. One also has to consider the time needed to put it in place. And in support of this statement. one third each year. the bees exhaust themselves so much that they must consume more and they are so active that they cannot but perspire. the same worker. It is clear that this work incurs considerable expense and above all takes up valuable time. it seems that the second would be in advance of the first. he throws the sheet in the melter and recommences the procedure with another. he cited the following paragraph from Abbé Deléphine: 'Given two hives of the same strength and two brood boxes of the same capacity. and that before it has been drawn. Wax foundation is only a feeble initial contribution to the construction of combs and in addition the bees often modify it before using it. For. in fact.Our method is economical We can now see that the People's Hive is as economical in the method applied to it as in the construction of it we have spoken about earlier. i. and yet it must hold fast. when it is in the hive. having only to fill the cells with honey and seal them up. On the other hand. i. but not so much that it cuts the wax sheet. all things being otherwise equal. Thus the worker perspires without wishing to during her hard work of harvesting under the hottest sun of the year. The sheet of wax foundation. To fix a sheet of wax in the frame the beekeeper has to heat a spur embedding tool sufficiently to immerse the steel wire in the wax. Whether one does or does not use wax foundation. it is rarely obtained with wax foundation.
Nature could not have provided thousands of drones each year just for mating. puts order in the hive and obliges the bees to build in the direction of the frames. My father. like our neighbours. The bees find a way of providing the queen with the number of drone cells she needs. If need be they enlarge worker cells to make drone cells. quite the opposite. four at most. wax foundation does not suppress them. The presence of honey or brood prevents this. it becomes impossible to remove them without damaging them and without crushing lots of bees. called them couveaux ('brooders'). I have always noticed that the most productive hives have lots of drones. the bees do not extend the comb without finishing it. Wax foundation. it is true.e. i. the frames have to be taken out one by one. There is definitely a queen in the hive if the bees are bringing in pollen. They are atrophied bees unable to do a great deal of work and. The presence of the queen can be established without opening the hive. for the brood must always be kept together and the honey should always be above or beside the brood. Moreover. the wood scraped on all surfaces to remove propolis. The drones only leave the hive other than for mating with the queen when the air temperature is very warm and during the hottest period of the day. Moreover. In my childhood. The stores will certainly be sufficient if they were made up in autumn as recommended. very prone to contract any disease threatening their colony. and more economically. and if they do not show any concern. Comb is thus sturdier and better able to withstand variations in temperature if need be. I never heard males or drones mentioned. with a simple starter of half a centimetre made of raw wax. The combs have to be renewed every three years.all of it is at the same temperature. I think that the basic role of drones is to keep the brood warm while the bees go to the fields. i. Wax foundation is no more able to find its raison d'être in the suppression of drones. when the brood does not need warming. The bees that later hatch from those cells cannot develop fully. If this is not done every year. Otherwise the cocoons that the bees leave in the cells when they hatch reduce cell volume. They do it only when the nectar flow has finished. Therefore drones have another role in the hive. The queen (one in each hive) is mated only once in the four to five years of her life. But in modern hives you cannot do without the process of cleaning frames. It thus often happens that 140 . Simplifying the spring visit Beekeeping textbooks recommend opening hives at a spring visit for four reasons: • to see if the queen is present • to check the state of the stores • to clean the frames • to start the renewal of comb. when they no longer need to forage. Bees do not get rid of the drones when their virgin queen has been mated.e. if their coming and going is normal and steady. In any case.e. But we get the same result. i. the queen sometimes lays worker eggs in drone cells. I am therefore not of the opinion that we should try to reduce the number of drones. I see the proof of this in the following facts. without giving it its normal thickness. They build them in the corners of frames. In the various manipulations during the season one has not always been able to move old frames to the sides of the brood box. they do not appear to be looking for some lost treasure – their queen. And they do this right in the middle of a sheet of foundation. For this.
Here are the causes of repeated chilling of the brood chamber. I do not hesitate to point out that one man will not find sufficient sunny days in April each year between 11 a. nor a lot of work for the beekeeper. cleaning the frames and removing the old ones should be done in spring. when the frame bearing the queen is replaced in the hive. In any case.in spring the old frames have to be replaced without being able to move them to one side. we need only clean the floor without opening the hive. As there are no supers on the de Layens hive the bees put their honey at the sides. The bees put their honey over the brood chamber and some of it to the sides. it is obvious that the work at this spring visit takes a certain amount of time. Abbé Voirnot and de Layens had wanted to rectify these faults. Abbé Voirnot adopted shallower supers.m. We profit from this by cleaning them and replacing comb in our workshop in winter when we have the time for it. without our having to be concerned with the outside temperature and without fear of crushing the queen. the bees have already prepared for swarming and nothing will stop them doing so. However. squeezing and often suffocating her. one each side. for all the hives in a single apiary are not at the same stage. there is very significant chilling of the hive and stoppage of laying brood if enlargement is done early. glad at finding their queen after her short absence. Now the bees will not cross the honey to find a place for new brood or honey. and 2 p. They 141 . The swarm might then be lost. In spring. then put on the next super when the first is partly filled with honey. Also. one after the other. surrounding her completely. which is still not very advanced. which annoys and overtaxes the bees and increases work for the beekeeper. Good beekeeping guides have given wise counsel: put on the first super when all the frames in the brood chamber except the two at the extremities. Three quarters of queenless colonies are the result of manipulations in the hive. All the boxes come into our hands. The problem is only lessened. every three or four years. This is an additional complication to the spring visit. Or equally. In any case. this advice avoids neither cooling the brood chamber each time a super is added. the temperature is not very high. Simplifying enlarging the hive Whereas the bees thrive better in a small hive in winter and spring. The same vigilance has to be exercised for the first supers. The hive is not cooled as much when such supers are added. But in April. in our area in April. But then the beekeeper only has more inspections in order to decide when more supers should be added. the beekeeper's work is increased. In theory the bees will occupy all the frames according to their needs. in summer they need lots of space. On the other hand. On the one hand. On the other hand. De Layens got rid of supers and increased the frames in the brood nest to at least eighteen instead of nine. In this operation there is a risk of crushing the queen between the frame uprights and the walls of the hive. One may have to open the hive several times to check how many frames are occupied. the honey harvest will be reduced. Moreover. only 100 mm deep.m. In the de Layens hive the part occupied by the brood does not lose heat suddenly but only loses some of it steadily. are covered with bees. because at this time one is less hampered by brood. if enlargement is done late. We designed our People's Hive to avoid opening the hive in spring by having hive-body boxes on top of each other and by enlarging the hive underneath and harvesting from the top. to do the work this visit entails on fifty hives. This work can be done at any temperature and at any hour of the day. the bees press themselves round her.
there is nothing to stop him from extracting a box or even a few combs from time to time. in the Easter holidays if this time suits us. its quality would be poorer. or just individual combs. But in the People's Hive. Simplifying the harvest In our hive. Furthermore. In the hive they are deposited one above the other in layers going from top to bottom. we leave the bees to their work and in peace and we need do no more than return to harvest the honey in August. the different honeys are only mixed at extraction. and thus in frames that have contained brood. But we have pointed out in another section that only mixed honeys are healthy and worth recommending. 142 . and only once. as we can increase its size from below.] and with greater ease. as with others. We avoid swarming through lack of space. but in early evening they carry it to its final position above or beside the brood. they only change the taste or the colour of the honey when they are black and spongy. we can do this very early. In the People's Hive. this enlargement of the hive from below is real and leaves the space freely at the disposal of the bees. As for combs that have contained brood. This will be the honey that the bees consume first and which should be left for them when preparing the hives for winter. One might argue that because with this method the honey would be harvested from combs that had contained brood and would thus always contain pollen. the bees first deposit nectar near the entrance to save time. as in all hives. even in supers where there has been no brood. the bees are stuck between two frames of honey and therefore swarm. Tr. But if our method is carefully followed such comb never occurs. the honey is first deposited in the bottom frames. In the de Layens hive. the honeys from different seasons are mixed. in these hives. the replacement of old frames is difficult and it is not uncommon that the beekeeper does not do it. because a fermentation has developed. for. lack of space. If the beekeeper is interested in meeting the tastes of his customers. Its place it taken by comb that is light-brown [blond foncé: – nearly the colour of hazelnut. but in these conditions the problem is worsened. in reality. Moreover. Only a little remains as is found in all hives. The beekeeper can certainly remedy this fault. And it is not unusual for these frames to be black. It is only in adjusting the winter stores that there is a difference between our method and the others. One may also argue that in the People's Hive. the hive has to be opened and the bees have to be cleared with smoke. If he moves the frames covered with honey away from the brood and replaces the frames containing honey with empty frames. generally the darkest. and it is better if boxes are added vertically to the hive. With the People's Hive. Furthermore. with several empty frames beyond those filled with honey. but to our advantage. most of the pollen disappears with the brood. In other hives. is placed at the bottom of the stores. is thus really reduced by our method. An entire super or hive-body box can be removed. as if they were short of space. therefore capable of changing the colour and taste of the honey. it should be noted that the honey late in the season. at least not from lack of room. during the summer holidays.prefer to swarm. with as many boxes as the strength of the colony demands. proportional in size to the forage at different times of the year. both for the beekeeper and for the bees. When we have carried out this enlargement in April. the bees will not swarm. and as a result immediately above the bee cluster. The main cause of swarming. We need not fear chilling the brood nor annoying the bees and we avoid a lot of trouble.
warmth and honey and respect for the irritability of bees. for any beekeeper. Simplifying transferring bees to another hive Our method of driving bees differs in principle from others on one point: destruction of the brood. With our method there is no need to remove surplus stores because the surplus is minimal. There is no need to be good at recognising a queen. it is absolutely necessary to lift the frames in the brood chamber. i. will not forget to raise brood either during the nectar flow or afterwards and all the less according to how rich they are in honey and drawn comb. as always.In other hives. the queen is always like a needle in a haystack. Here. and the bees. the development of brood in spring will be stopped – lack of space – and the wintering will be less successful. This is the advice we give. but. In any case. will be reduced to 3 or 6 decimetres at most. will have time after the nectar flow to raise a new brood. because. but to avoid trouble and work for the beekeeper we have to keep it within limits. To respect the instincts of the bees we have to increase its volume and depth. This surplus can be left without any great difficulty. It avoids for the beekeeper the problems of finding the queen and moving the combs. upsetting the bees. It is only after long trial and error that we have found the happy medium. even in established colonies. the main one. Put another way. the stores are insufficient. of secondary importance. cooling the brood chamber. This work is always difficult and dangerous. And the brood is an obstacle. It is therefore sensible to remove the obstacles that could prevent achieving this aim. whether the hive has too much honey or whether it does not have enough. Dangerous because in manipulating the combs one might squash the queen. Our readers will understand after these reflections why we attach great importance to the size of the hive-body box. I have as a goal the saving in time. The brood is even a disadvantage during the nectar flow because it keeps thousands of bees in the hive who could go out foraging. This brood is absolutely essential. Difficult. Simplifying artificial swarming My method of artificial swarming differs from others on two points.e. In a People's Hive with fixed comb there are 48 square decimetres of comb.e. if ever there is brood. we can be certain. one can still avoid touching the comb in the brood chamber. If. because in such hives feeding is more difficult and less rational than in the People's Hive. The difference. 1 to 2 kg of honey. on the other hand. We have seen that the beginner can do this work as well and as quickly as an experienced beekeeper. moreover. If there is too much honey. 143 . 12 square decimetres of comb. The main thing when establishing a colony is to assure it food and shelter. Results: time wasting. The bees always position themselves under the honey. The work is simplified. i. the bees often get squashed and this annoys the whole colony. for a time. For the brood is of no use during the nectar flow because it will arrive too late. It should be left with 36 square decimetres of comb filled with honey. If there is not enough honey they have to be given some. All that is needed is to put under the brood chamber without opening it a hive-body box containing the feeder. This is why leading beekeepers have tried to stop or reduce brood development during the nectar flow. The more honey there is above their cluster the more they must warm some empty and unusable space. they will start raising it the same day that the old brood is destroyed. preferably in frames. The bees.
atrophied. great manual dexterity. there is hardly one combining the qualities needed to manage framed hives. which. even on the hottest days. Bumble-bees. But it may happen that there are years when no artificial swarming is done. because there is a ready opportunity to introduce a queen from elsewhere when artificial swarming is carried out. a wasteful exhaustion. a thorough knowledge of the bee. Frame beekeeping is difficult Abbé Colin wrote: 'Managing a framed hive. and. The bees that hatch there are necessarily smaller. reduces the volume of the cell. requires a superior intelligence. We have given a simple. Their own weight therefore has an influence in this circumstance. but have they all the patience of an ox and the tread of a cat?' Berclepsch [sic. Less opening the hive Each time we open a hive. which upsets the bees and tends to make them angrier. at least every three years. It allows them to gather pollen and nectar from more flowers. lots of patience. And this cooling is all the greater the longer we have the hive open and the cooler the air temperature. with this method there are no small cells. less fitted for work.] goes as far as saying that among fifty beekeepers. is closed to many insects. altogether disposed to suffer the illnesses and epidemics of their species. Hamel when he says: 'With almost all the producers of honey who supply consumer demand.Simplifying finding the queen I do not advise looking for the queen. not even for renewing the blood of the apiary. manage to open this flower as they land on the lower lip. It is clear that this procedure can only be carried out with hives with boxes as in the People's Hive. Therefore. perfect agreement on this point. The result is obvious: a loss of honey for the beekeeper and an over exertion not planned for by nature. I am entirely of the opinion of M. on the evidence of its proponents. we cool its interior. probably Berlepsch. And it is clear that our method avoids lots of visits to the inside of the hive. Tr. The volume and weight of the bees also has another significance. who perform economical and logical beekeeping. I would add. but are more frequent since the fashion for framed hives and the methods that go with them. quick and certain method of finding the queen. of the bee. And this cooling. The snapdragon or antirrhinum. All beekeepers have superior intelligence. who produce at the 144 . lead to their degeneration and make them more liable to contract all the diseases. obliges them to re-warm the inside of the hive as quickly as possible. But the method used in the management of the People's Hive allows frequent and easy renewal of all the comb. by repetition. Larger cells We have already said that the bees leave behind a cocoon in the cell from which they have hatched. that are not new. Honey bees also manage it when their baskets are sufficiently loaded with pollen. for example. I am convinced that these hive interior inspections also weaken the bees. because of their weight.
the top-bars are properly positioned in the same vertical plane. as we recommend. therefore robbing. novelties created by skilful woodworkers. The failure of modern beekeeping Framed hives have been available to beekeepers for fifty years. the bees having a tendency to extend the comb on top to the one below it. which we shall discuss. Moreover. in the People's Hive. Four millimetres is in fact the width of their bodies. Propolis offers more resistance and the knife often cannot even get between two pieces of wood. a steel wire has to be pulled through to cut the adhesions when a box has to be removed. adhesions may form between the combs of the tiered boxes. the bees cannot join the combs of the box above to that of the one below. as we recommend. In this case. To construct a comb. Obviously. the death of several bees (whence irritation of the rest). to amuse oneself. if the hive is level. the hive tool is passed over the top-bars and the top rim of the walls. Therefore very considerable advantages for the practice of beekeeping. this procedure could cause the queen to be crushed (highly inconvenient). It has been argued that in the People's Hive with fixed comb. No more mysteries in the life of the bee. we are with the school of frame beekeeping'.lowest cost. we are of the school of fixed-comb beekeeping. it is far easier to remove adhesions in a hive with fixed comb than in a framed hive. The bees deposit propolis which gradually gets thicker. But we do not have this problem in the People's Hive with fixed comb. In this case there would never be an adhesion between propolis and comb wax as strong as that between propolis and wood as occurs between frames and the walls of the hive. It is true that we recommend cleaning sufficiently to enable placement of the boxes by sliding horizontally. emptied and cleaned every two or three years. And each year beekeepers are offered new models said to be more productive. In the Palteau hive. the bees never have time to fill this gap because each box is harvested. For in a short time they develop adhesions between frames and between frames and hive walls. at least a book that one can open at will. with the amateurs. no obstacles to help her and guide her in her work. to entertain oneself. An open book. Moveable frames do not exist in beekeeping The frames in framed hives are only really moveable at their exit from the wood workshop. 145 . The top of the top-bars is thus never long coated with propolis. Furthermore. And lots of companies have been started to supply these hives together with their multitude of accessories. the bees are upside down under the combs. If. they say. In any case. For sliding them is far better than putting them on vertically. I do not hesitate to stress that the hives with frames are further from mobility of comb than hives with fixed comb. Granted the bees would be able to deposit propolis on the combs and fill in the gap separating the comb above. each time a box is opened. leakage of the honey. I know them well. not long enough for it to become thick enough to reach the comb above. to inform oneself. these adhesions are likewise produced. When they reach 4 mm above the top-bars of the box below they have to stop. The wax comb does not resist the blade of a knife.
also force the bees into harmful overwork. Diseases develop increasingly in modern apiaries I would really like a hive to be a book but I am sure that it should remain almost always shut. young and old. polish. 146 . But I have been able to notice from fifty years of practising beekeeping in big apiaries and from observations amongst my numerous contacts. And overwork leads to weakening and weakening makes them more prone to contracting any disease. In which case the apiary becomes an advertisement. It is the same with bees as it is with people. Only people who have time to spare and their living secured are able to sustain these modern hives. artificially of course. Let us obtain healthy bees in skeps and. We discuss this too in our book. Caillas. No modern beekeeping enterprise has been sustainable I still know of many apiaries of various sizes where the old skeps in various forms have been used for several generations. above all. I know the profits of some of these apiaries. is also a cause of failure. Therefore opening the hive goes against the bees. In these conditions honey would find its clientele again from amongst all the wise people in the world. On the other hand. Honey is difficult to sell Honey is the only healthy sugar. parsons. Let us stop ignoring her needs. for remedies from knowledgeable chemists. And it is so cheap that it is also preferred by the poor. Bees like solitude. encaustication. beekeeping equipment. What should be done? Produce honey cheaply so it can be sold at the price of beet sugar with a reasonable profit. in other ways that I speak about in my book.. It is the cause that should be eliminated. . But beet sugar is so easy to use that it is the preference of ignorant or lazy housekeepers.And many magazines are published whose articles allow the reader to differentiate the truth from the lies. Modern methods. Their owners have had to abandon the enterprise because it did not feed them.. And diseases develop increasingly in modern apiaries. and that honey is difficult to sell (in normal times. among them teachers. Let us stop going against the instincts of bees. mead. be it confectionery. of course). And these profits greatly exceed those of the best industries. above all foulbrood. let us not feed bees on sugar. condemned the People's Hive because it prevented in a way almost all application of modern methods which are the future of beekeeping. the awful foulbrood. etc. I can confirm that no modern beekeeping enterprise has been sustainable. It is because of this that beekeepers from self-interest have considered stopping all bureaucrats from practising beekeeping. The writer. People call in vain for visits by distinguished veterinarians. that no modern beekeeping method has been able to be sustained without diseases increasingly developing in the apiaries. It obliges them to make a continuous over exertion to re-warm the brood chamber. that is obvious. Or they have grafted on to the enterprise some kind of business. Queen breeding. But I do not hesitate to point out that modern methods will lead beekeeping to destruction and that only skeps and the People's Hive will save it. and all kinds of bureaucrats. for registrations and sacrifices from beekeepers.
Can this aim be achieved? Yes, I believe it can. But on condition that beekeeping is carried out with less expensive hives and according to a method more economical on the beekeeper's time and more respectful of the needs of the bee.
The People's Hive is not a revolution in beekeeping
After the first editions of this book people said to me that the People's Hive is an innovation, a real revolution in beekeeping. It is not. To design the People's Hive I was inspired by skeps where bees have lived for centuries. I was also inspired by the most natural hive, certainly the oldest, namely the hollow tree. To design the People's Hive I had also studied the Dadant hive and its opponents: the Sagot hive, the Voirnot hive, the de Layens hive. Furthermore, when I published a monthly journal, some subscribers told me about the pyramidal hive and the Palteau hive.
The Pyramidal Hive
Here are some extracts from a book in the National Library: The Pyramidal Hive, simple and natural method for constantly raising all bee colonies and for obtaining from each colony each autumn the harvest of a full basket of wax and honey, without contaminants, without brood, furthermore several swarms (C. Decouédic, President of the Canton of Maure, Département d'Ille-etVilaine, 2nd ed.; Mrs. Vve. Courrier, ed., publisher, Librairie pour la Science, Quai des Augustins, No. 57, Paris, 1813). 1st On the design of the pyramidal hive. 'In the wild state bees work from top to bottom, never from bottom to top, as long as there is still space inside. 'In working downwards, they leave their earlier constructions above their later work, to continue work only on the latter, in which the queen mother, likewise having descended, lays her new brood under the protection of the whole colony. In the second year there is no brood or bees in the upper layers of comb. They are totally full of honey. 'That is the way the bee works in the wild state. It is not difficult to apply this art of arrangement to the execution and use of three boxes placed at the return of each spring, one under the other, to form the pyramidal hive, whose top hive body, free of bees and brood but full of honey, is each year without interruption always at the disposal of the owner. It is sufficient each spring to put one hive below the other because the bees go down there when the top one is full. At the second spring there are three boxes underneath each other and at the following autumn one removes the top hive-body or box. And thereafter in perpetuity in spring there is one box to be put underneath the two left for the autumn and winter, and one hive-body or box to remove each autumn. 'The Pyramidal Hive is 9, 10 or 11 pouces in diameter and height, 27, 30 or 33 pouces for the three hive-body boxes, i.e. a maximum of 297 mm diameter and 891 mm deep, and 20.5 litres for each box.' (see footnote p. 148)
The Palteau Hive
Another work was published at Metz, by Joseph Colignon, in 1756, under the title Novel construction of hives in wood, including the method of managing the bees, invented by M. Palteau, First Clerk of the Bureau of General Supplies of Metz. Here are the main points by which these hives approach the People's Hive: One hive is made of several boxes, all the same size, interchangeable and square. The author writes on page 35: 'I can also adjust the size of my hives to all the swarms that are presented; one box or two, more or less goes to make up the hive I have chosen, a very suitable home for the colony that has to live in it'. He writes: 'That also avoids having all sorts of hives of different sizes to receive different swarms'. A hive is: 'a box which is one pied square by three pouces deep, including the bottom, which should be three lignes thick1. In the middle of the bottom (which in reality is the top) there is an opening seven and a half inches square. The rest of the bottom is pierced with small holes. The holes are to save the bees time in making wasteful detours when passing from one box to another.' The bees attach the combs to this ceiling, as they do to bars which appear to have been introduced by Della Rocca. The square opening in the ceiling allows the bees to continue the middle comb without stopping while preventing a gap, and to facilitate the movement of the queen from one box to another. To cut the joined comb the author uses a steel wire which he passes between the boxes like a cheese-wire. Each box has 'its own entrance for the bees. When several boxes are combined only the entrance of the bottom box is left open'. These days, there is no longer any need to be concerned with this important detail, thanks to the system with the entrance in the floor. The whole is placed on a fixed board forming the floor, then covered with an 'overcoat' which makes it double-wall. The method of managing the bees differs in that enlargement and feeding is from the bottom which avoids chilling. Harvesting is from the top. The author smokes the bees to make them go down into the lower boxes. On page 32 he writes: 'I oblige them to go down into the lower boxes and to leave me at liberty to work in peace. Moreover, I am assured of getting the best honey which is always at the top of the hive and to leave them only the mediocre which suffices for them to go through winter. No more am I concerned about touching the brood and detaching it because it is situated only in the middle and at the bottom of the hive'. Here, dear readers, are practical, logical hives. They are not perfect, but their faults are minimal. Eminent beekeepers such as de Layens, Abbé Voirnot and Abbé Sagot, would have made light of eliminating them. If these masters had only had to perfect our old French hives, instead of fighting the Dadant Hive, it is likely that I would have found the People's Hive as it is in its present form. I would have saved twenty years of research, work and expense. For, if, in fact the People's Hive came out of those of Layens and Voirnot, it is no less true that the People's Hive has the same principles as the Decouédic and Palteau hives. De Layens thought that our modern beekeeping methods demand too much time and expense of the beekeeper. Abbé Voirnot and Abbé Sagot considered them contrary to the needs and instincts of bees. Our own studies have led us to the same conclusions. De Layens, Abbé Voirnot and Abbé Sagot must have known of the hives of Decouédic and Palteau. These hives must not have been forgotten in their time like mine. They did not believe they should be concerned with them.
pied (du roi) = foot = 324.83 mm; pouce = inch = 27.069 mm; ligne = line = 2.256 mm Tr. 148
Fascinated by the undeniable advantages of the extractor, and believing that frames are necessary in order to use it, they only bothered with framed hives. They did not have time to recognise their mistake and to start new trials. Having come after them, I have profited from their successes and their failures. It is thus by a different route that I have pursued the same goal. I believe I have reached it. De Layens, Abbé Voirnot and Abbé Sagot have no less right to the recognition of all beekeepers, especially mine. It is their work I continue in publishing this book. Will I be heard? Certainly not. Anatole France wrote: 'If you try to instruct your teacher, all you do is humiliate and anger him'. Anatole France was right to generalise. There are people who are more intelligent than proud. I address myself to those. In any case, I have the satisfaction of being able to say at the end of my days that I have worked for the return to the land. For I am a son of the soil and a disciple of the great Sully. Poets have said: 'To live to a great age is to outlive one friends. To live to a great age is to outlive the trees one has planted. To live to a great age is to outlive illusions. Yes, more's the pity! But to live to a great age is also to enjoy one's experience. To live to a great age is also often to achieve a goal pursued for a long time. To live to a great age is also sometimes to succeed in being useful for longer. Sweet old age!'
Intensive beekeeping
In beekeeping, as in many other areas of production, it is the scramble for millions. I regret to say to my readers that this scramble for millions is a scramble to the death. I was young once. I believed I could practice artificial breeding of queens successfully. But I realised that apart from one good queen, I provided only mediocre and inferior queens. I gave up this breeding because I wanted to be honest. I practised a method where colonies worked together (Capucine d'Angers). Great expense, lots of work, numerous queenless colonies, problematical results, in any case always insufficient. I abandoned this method which, moreover, has not been mentioned for a long time. And intensive modern methods do not attract me: stimulatory feeding, queen excluders, heating the hive, two-queen systems, superposition of colonies, etc. I only try them for what catches the eye of any beekeeper who is a little experimental.
Over exertion weakens the breed
I have certainly seen the research on over production in poultry farming, for example. Specimens with high productivity have been obtained. But on the other side there are infirmities, illnesses, mortalities previously unknown. From this fact, overall production is on the whole reduced and the breed is destroyed. As I see it, we are on our way towards doing the same thing in beekeeping. Already the steady progress of foulbrood is noticeable. The weakened stock no longer has the strength to destroy the microbes that it encounters. I have known poultry farms where intensive egg production is practised. Production seems wonderful from November to February. In March, laying ceases and all the hens die if they are not sold for the table. To repopulate the hen house they have to go to other breeders. 149
for it is necessary to feed the weak colonies generously. which alone conserve the stock. Practising intensive methods takes a lot of time All these methods call for a lot of work. Putting colonies one above the other even requires such demanding work that the beekeeper will not be able to apply himself to any other job. For them. Intensive methods bring risky profits The aim of these methods is to obtain big populations at the beginning of the nectar flow. because frequent opening of the hive and cooling of the brood necessarily upsets them. to handle whole hives of this kind you need to be a market porter or have strong helpers who are used to bees. Furthermore. 150 . artificial breeding that is practised in intensive beekeeping only gives mediocre and inferior queens. The variations in temperature frequently cool the hives down and forces the bees to over exert themselves to re-establish the normal temperature. it is necessary to use a certain number of specially-made. Frequent opening of the hives increases their over exertion even more. whence a waste effort if they are ready too late. a method without risk and which does not overwork the bees. As a result people will end up only with bees that are weak. especially if our pioneering method is used. sometimes too late. This results in a new source of expense. the stock will not benefit from this. excluders. Practising intensive methods is very expensive To use these methods specially-made very expensive hives are required. Practising intensive methods is dangerous Doubling colonies (one on top of the other) is even more dangerous than other intensive methods. I state that the work demanded by a group of four hives managed intensively would allow the management of an entire apiary of People's Hives. In any case. It should not be forgotten that propolis. thus also very expensive. This is not the case with most beekeepers. The colonies at the bottom always suffer most from such drops in temperature. It should be noted that the practice of intensive methods irritates the bees and sometimes makes them unmanageable whatever their breed. resulting in brood death and all its consequences. beekeeping is a supplementary job. The temperature may advance or delay it by eight days. Without fearing contradiction. For such an apiary will yield more honey with less worry. poor workers. incapable of resisting disease. and onerous work if too soon. which adds up to a variation of fifteen days. the stickiest of adhesives. In spring there are often big drops in temperature. Therefore sometimes beekeepers are ready too soon. Again. This results in a bigger capital expenditure which reduces the real profit from the method.This is why I am convinced that intensive modern beekeeping methods will lead to the success of skeps and the People's Hive. This is clearly the way to get big harvests. above all foulbrood. always complicates the work. It eliminates temporarily pointless work (raising brood) for them and allows them to get on with fruitful work (harvesting honey). Finally. But the date of the nectar flow cannot be forecast a month in advance.
By practising it. lift the three steel wires fixed to the arms of the plate.Pastoral beekeeping Pastoral beekeeping is an important method of increasing production. It is a question of how much of it contains honey. But it is important that the floors and the boxes are fixed together with lockslides. I think it is preferable to give the hives all the boxes they may need before leaving. 1. Put the plate under the hive. use our perforated entrance and our mesh hive cover. or two nights at most. early sainfoin. The hives are placed on a trailer in two rows with the entrances outwards. the weight of the metal plate of the tripod. attach the springbalance to the lever. Some beekeepers have found this method difficult. If the hive has no legs. a spring balance and a lever. Method of use Remove the hive roof and quilt. The balance will indicate the gross weight of the hive.. The only problem is the transport of hives at the time when these plants are in flower. attach these to a spring-balance. bees are given the opportunity for making successive moves to different plants: oilseed rape.75 kg for four cast-iron legs or 0. Place the tripod in front of the hive 5 cm away with the un-raised foot under the hive. A passageway can be arranged between the rows. We have designed a hefting tripod for them. heather. From the gross weight subtract 8 kg for two boxes of drawn comb. This is easily done in one night with our large feeder. At the end of all the nectar flows. The hive is placed on the floor. insert under the hive the two small arms of the plate and push them up to the front feet of the hive. the length of the trailer will be that which leaves a maximum space of 600 mm for each hive. put the plate next to the hive. etc. in which case the trailer will need to be 1. Whatever time of day the move is made. etc. the trailer is brought back to the workshop for extracting the honey.6 metres wide.75 kg for four wooden legs as required.. depress the lever. The hive floors are fixed to the floor of the trailer with two nails or two screws. buckwheat. 151 . 2 kg for bees and brood. lime trees. . We have a hive that has been given two boxes of drawn comb. It is helpful to make a few holes in the bottom of the trailer for water to flow out. At the destination. In this case. acacia. Hefting the hive We have described how a check can be made on hive stores by counting the number of square decimetres of honeycomb. one of which is brood and the other honey. It comprises a tripod and a plate supporting the hive. late sainfoin. Knowing the weight of honey contained in the hive it is only necessary to make this weight up to 12 kg. 1. the passageway is unnecessary and the trailer need be only one metre wide. use our flat roof which sheds water to one side and to the outside of the trailer.. But the People's Hive is well suited to doing this. Furthermore. fix the lever on the tripod. keeping behind the hive. Put the hive without its floor on this plate and proceed as before.5 kg for the hive floor.
It will bring happiness to you and your bees. turning them mouldy and this accumulates to the great detriment of the bees. and against wide hives such as the Dadant. condenses and settles on the exterior walls and the outer frames of the hive. These humble gatherers of a bounty that belongs to you. But there is always a lot of damp in a hive. which is a source of heat. it will not give you honey without some work. the People's Hive is a practical and logical hive. However. that they defend at risk of sacrificing themselves in death. This therefore counts against long shallow frames and shows the obvious superiority of the People's Hive whose two combs on top of each other give a width of 300 mm and a depth of 420 mm. In the cluster there is a continuous movement of alternation. 152 . the damp air flows from the bee cluster. without danger of chilling. It remains above the cluster of bees and ends up by escaping through the cloth covering the top-bars of the upper box and then passes into the quilt. But we can give them this space generously and timely. In a wide hive. nor condense. the bees abhor damp. And they can obviously maintain this heat more easily over a surface of 300 x 300 mm than over a surface of 450 x 450 mm. Warmed by this consumption of honey they descend via the periphery and warm their sisters. For. that they are far from squandering because they do not touch it at all. It is thus important that the hive is tall enough to allow the stores to be placed above the cluster of bees. In a word. because we increase the size of the hive from below as we wish. but not so large that the cluster of bees has to move sideways to find the stores. in the warm season. at the side of the bee cluster there will not be the same temperature as above. who ceaselessly improve immortal nature. in using the People's Hive with fixed combs you will certainly provide the most pleasant and most logical home for your dear bees – 'these benevolent messengers scented with the germs of life. which they watch over with great care. nor cool. the bees cluster under the honey in an elongated shape (like a large pear with the stalk at the bottom). In winter. In winter. For. the People's Hive is a really logical hive. Here the superiority of the People's Hive is its narrowness and cloth covering. there is no risk of the bees getting cold. The People's Hive does not turn stones into honey. The latter rise in their turn to the stores and it continues like this throughout the winter. In a good season. This therefore argues against crown boards or oilcloths often used to cover hives. The bees at the centre rise towards the stores and eat a small quantity of honey. But the People's Hive saves you a lot of expense. and then cools. the bees have to maintain enough heat over the brood (eggs and larvae). In a narrow hive like the People's Hive. In winter. economical in method. No. It comes from outside and it is produced by the drying of nectar and the respiration of the bees. this dampness cannot travel from the bee cluster. the bees need a lot of space and this varies a lot. winged more than wind. unless it is to add to it and to look after it'.Conclusion The People's Hive is a logical hive Economical in design. provided that the stores are above the cluster of bees. Once again this shows the superiority of a narrow hive like the People's Hive. a lot of time and several kilogrammes of honey each winter. And this is under the control of the bees who regulate this escape of moisture by putting more or less propolis on the cloth. more discerning and reliable.
....................................................................................................................... the beauty of devotion........................ The problems of beekeeping................................................................................................................................. I have seen several of these hives..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... The benefits of beekeeping.................. Beekeeping is a good school.......................................................................................................................... Construction of the people's hive with fixed combs.................Therefore go................................................................................ The combination hive.............................................. Warré Hive................................................................................ the prosperity of countless families................ Go and remind everyone of the necessity of work........ Origin of the People's Hive (Warré Hive)............................ The skep.................................................................................................................... Initial conclusions........ The workers........................ What can be seen inside a hive...................... advertising it with the two main features of the People's Hive: no frames.................. the gentleness of unity.............. The mother....................................................................................................................... Beekeeping without stings......... no wax foundation.................................................................................. What can be seen in the surroundings of an apiary............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Among them are some silly modifications which do not allow application of our method............................................................................................... SIMPLIFIED ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVE METHOD NO FRAMES – NO WAX FOUNDATION – LITTLE WORK Breaking trust The People's Hive has been copied in many regions where it is sold under different names: People's Hive............. Warré-type Hive...... go into all the gardens of France....................................................................... Certain less scrupulous people have given it their own name.............................................. The males........... Several people have added whimsical modifications which are far from being improvements................................................................... Contents The purpose of beekeeping............................................................. Equipment....................................... Beekeeping legislation.............................................................................................................. The Layens hive........................................... The apiary........... Go and fill every fireside with honey and happiness... What can be seen at the hive entrance..................................................................................................................... Mella fluunt tibi....................................................... Go and give the children some nourishing sandwiches........................................................... Melliferous plants...................................................................... In general they have not been carefully constructed.. 153 1 2 3 5 8 11 12 14 15 18 20 21 22 25 25 26 31 33 34 35 38 41 46 55 56 65 67 68 70 ....... The value of my advice.......................................................... Buying colonies................................................................. my People's Hive................................................................................................................................................... The choice of hive....... The bee........................................................................... The best hive........................................ The Dadant hive............................ Discussion of the People's Hive................... The Voirnot hive............................................................................................................................... and give the grown ups wellbeing in body and mind.................................
................... The bee's enemies....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Conclusion................................... Swarming with one colony.............. Enlarging the hive........................... What others say about honey.................................................... Winter feeding..................................................................... The harvest.................... Hefting the hive.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Introducing queens...................................................................................................................................................... Honey in foods.................................................................................. Section honey.................................................................................................................... Intensive beekeeping ................. Mead.......................................................... Alternative swarming with two colonies............................................................................................................................. Driving (transferring) bees............................................................................................................ Section equipment.......................................... Harvesting the honey........................................................................................ Wax............................... Making increase.............................................................................................................................. Our method is economical..................................................................................................................................................... Natural swarm............................................................................................................................................ Pastoral beekeeping.......................................................................................................................................... Pioneering method.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Getting ready for winter......................................................................................................................... Monitoring the apiary....................... The failure of modern beekeeping......................................................................................................... Artificial swarming...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Beekeeping at a distance.............. Honey in remedies.................................................................................................................................................................................................. Bee diseases................... Propolis.................................................. Moveable frames do not exist in beekeeping.........................................................................Preparation of the hive.............................................. Extracting honey............................... Rating colonies.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Beekeeping procedures......... 77 80 82 83 86 87 88 90 91 91 93 94 95 95 98 99 100 102 104 105 107 108 111 111 114 120 120 123 124 127 129 131 134 136 137 139 144 145 145 147 149 151 151 152 153 154 ......................................... The nectar flow......................................................... The value of honey....................................... Beekeeping in winter....................................... Populating the hive......................................................................................................................... Swarming with two colonies.......................... The People's Hive is not a revolution in beekeeping................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Frame beekeeping is difficult..................................................................... Breaking trust............................................................................................................................ Spring visit........................................................................................
155 .Creation under Creative Commons This document is made available subject to the Attribution-Share Alike 2.org/licenses/by-sa/2. In no way are any of the following rights affected by the license: Your fair dealing or fair use rights. Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder. distribute and communicate this document publicly. you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work. (http://creativecommons. For any reuse or distribution. The author's moral rights.0/uk/) You are free to reproduce. You are free to modify or translate this document according to the following conditions: You must cite the name of the original author Émile Warré and the translators David and Patricia Heaf You have no right to use this document for commercial purposes.0 UK: England & Wales Licence of Creative Commons. Rights other persons may have either in the work itself or in how the work is used.
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