Supersedure cell. A queen cell, often midway down a frame of brood.
Swarm. A group of bees with a queen that has split away from a parent colony to fly off and establish itself in a new place.
Swarm cell. A queen cell, often at the bottom of a frame, that is a possible indicator that bees are raising new queens to accompany them when the colony swarms. There are usually several of them at a time.
Tanging. Making a loud noise, usually by beating metal against metal, in order to supposedly bring down a swarm of bees flying overhead.
Telescoping cover. The usual overtopping cover to a beehive employed by all but migratory beekeepers, who use cleated covers instead.
Worker bees. The majority of bees in a colony. They are females with atrophied sexual characteristics who gather nectar and pollen, manufacture propolis, raise young bees, defend the hive, build comb and tend the queen.
Acknowledgments
The idea for this book came from Pam Strickler, an editor at Ballantine Books, and I want to thank her for suggesting it. But, in addition, it would not have been written had not Liz Darhansoff, my agent, known when to speak and who should not speak of it. Jean-Isabel McNutt at Random House has contributed to the book; she has enormous zest for locating obscure source material and a good sense of what my writing style should be.
A number of people have read the manuscript and made fine suggestions: Asher Treat, Liddy and Brian Hubbell and Arne Sieverts were all helpful.
The Hockman brothers, Dwain and David, helped with the descriptions of tools. Hugs, guys.
Index
ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture, The, 25–26, 58
acanthus, 151
Actaeon, 60
aerial sprayers, 137–38
Africanized bees, 72–73
Agriculture Department, U.S., 57, 154
alfalfa, 27, 137–38
allergies, 31, 65, 148
American Bee Journal, 38
American Foulbrood, 7, 71–72, 74, 86
andromedotoxin, 147
anemia, 158
antennae, bee, 111
antibiotics, 53, 74
anti-freeze, 157
antihemorrhaging factor, 158
ants, 130, 156
apiculture, see beekeeping
Apis mellifera (sweet bee), see bees
Apollo, 59
Aristaeus, 53, 58–60
Aristotle, 53
armyworms, 138
Artemis, 60
arthritis, 30, 65, 159
Asophaera apis, 77
asters, 6–7, 16, 51
Autonoë, 60
autumn, beekeeping in, 3–34
Bacillus larvae, 71
bacteria, 7, 71–72, 74, 158
Bailey, Leslie, 73
baling twine, 7, 14, 15
balling, 100, 106, 113
bears, 157
bee blowers, 164–65
bee brushes, 161–62
bee dance, 58, 130
bee escapes, 162–63
bee glue, 16, 20
Bee Go, 164
beekeeping:
advantages of, 3–4
advice on, 109
in autumn, 3–34
busy schedule of, 141–42, 144–45, 151
carpentry in, 14, 24–25, 40
classical references to, 53–55, 58–60, 148, 158
commercial, 20, 22, 51–52, 88, 110, 133
definition of, 25, 57
in different climate zones, 51–52, 53, 132–33
equipment for, 7, 38–46
as farming, 4, 26
fundamentals of, 37–46
god of, 53, 58–60
jokes about, 4–5
manuals on, 11, 25–26, 57–58
migratory, 14
in northern areas, 51–52
organizations for, 132, 135, 136, 138
in Ozarks, 6, 46, 107, 116
pesticides and, 67, 130, 136–39, 141, 148
recordkeeping in, 7, 23, 75, 76, 80, 83, 91, 114, 118
research for, 153–54
in rock paintings, 49
routine of, 76–79, 141–42, 144–45, 151
seasonal changes and, 5, 6
in spring, 63–124
in summer, 6, 8, 49, 127–73
supply companies for, 14, 37–39, 58, 75
techniques of, 37–46, 52–53
vocabulary of, 8–9
weather conditions and, 14, 26, 51–52, 53, 132–33, 143–44
Western desert, 132
in winter, 8, 23, 37–60
women, 24–26
see also bees
“Beekeeping for Women,” 25–26
Beekeeping in the Midwest (Jaycox), 58
Bee-Man of Orn, The (Stockton), 58
bee repellent, 163–64
bees:
Africanized, 72–73
aggressiveness of, 130, 143–44
antennae of, 111
attitudes toward, 4–5, 32, 48, 75–76, 101, 129
brood of, 7, 65–66, 71–72, 74, 77, 78, 79, 80, 82, 86, 104, 105, 112, 114, 137
as carbohydrate feeders, 64
castes of, 20
Caucasian race of, 107
chemical markings of, 20–22, 106, 111, 113, 144
cleanliness of, 17, 18, 22, 47–48, 79, 87
cleansing flights of, 47–48
clusters of, 51, 81, 104, 130
cocoons of, 65
colors as perceived by, 88–89
communication by, 58, 111, 130
dampness as harmful to, 7, 153
dancing by, 58, 130
death rate of, 23, 49
defensive posture of, 31, 80
developmental stages of, 64
diseases of, 7, 37, 70, 71–74, 76, 77, 86, 124, 128
drone, 20, 56, 93–94, 112, 113, 114, 118
evolution of, 49, 86
fear of, 7, 32, 48, 101, 129
feeding of, 13, 51, 68–69, 74–76, 108–9, 115, 118
flies mistaken for, 67
flight paths of, 17
foraging flights of, 22, 53, 70, 102–3, 109, 110, 143, 160–61
genetic material of, 92–93
guard, 22, 23, 113–14, 144
hairs of, 65
hearing lacked by, 82, 144
heat generated by, 49–51
hived vs. wild, 5, 72
house, 65, 70, 155
hybrid, 107, 117, 118
instars of, 64
Italian race of, 11, 107, 132
larvae of, 18, 64, 65, 71–72, 77, 112, 122, 137, 149
literature on, 52–60
manipulation of, 75–76, 110
“maps” learned by, 28, 107, 129, 130
medications for, 53, 70, 71–72, 73–74, 79, 82, 90
metabolism of, 47, 49
moods of, 102–3, 106, 117, 129, 143–44, 161
movement as perceived by, 88
name of, 11, 107
Nassanoff glands of, 131
nurse, 64, 65
ovaries of, 111
package, 37, 40, 98–99, 100–101, 108, 109–10, 117–18, 132, 133–36
pesticides as harmful to, 67, 130, 136–39, 141, 148
plants poisonous to, 148–49
pollen “baskets” of, 65, 69
pollination by, 3–4, 20, 65, 69, 89
population of, 18, 23, 116
predators of, 46, 82
proboscises of, 48
protein needs of, 64, 65–66
pupation of, 65, 91, 113
queenery, 98–99, 100–101, 108, 109–10
races of, 11, 107, 132
robber, 18, 19, 22, 72, 81
scout, 129, 130
shade needed by, 109
shapes of, 103–4, 112
stingers of, 31, 144, 161
sugar concentrations detected by, 160–61
survival strategies for, 19
tactile communication by, 111, 130
talking to, 82
temperature levels and, 47–48, 49, 50–51, 75, 94, 101, 142
types of, 67
“unlearning” by, 129
vision of, 30–31, 88–89
waste products of, 47–48
water needed by, 109
wax glands of, 155
weak colonies of, 17–20, 80, 128
weather conditions and, 143–44
as wild animals, 110, 149–50
wings of, 67, 131, 142, 149, 153
winter stores of, 6, 16, 46, 49, 50, 51, 81, 160
worker, 18, 20, 78, 91, 92, 109, 110, 111–12, 113
see also hives; queen bees
bee space, 9–11, 13, 79–80, 104, 105, 128
beeswax, 17, 18, 158
sheets of, 8–9, 13, 39, 44–46, 80, 134, 168
beeyards:
climate differences in, 53, 76
home, 106
location of, 3, 4, 7, 8, 76, 83, 118–19
productivity of, 4, 8
visits to, 76–79, 83, 88
Bell, Adrian, 75–76
Beltsville Bee Laboratory, 73
benzaldehyde, 164
Better Farming, 157
birds, 97–98
bitterweed (Helenium amarum tenuifolum), 149
blackberries, 27, 47, 70, 110, 115–16, 118, 119, 120, 122, 149, 156
blackberry winter, 115–16
black nightshade (Solarium nigrum), 148
Black Orpheus, 58
black raspberry, 119
bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), 83
blue-winged warblers, 98
Bread and Butter Rebellion (1828), 12
bridal bush, 90
brood:
diseases of, 7, 71–72, 74, 77, 86, 137
frames for, 65–66, 78, 79, 80, 82, 104, 105, 112, 114
brush cutters, 141, 144, 165
buckwheat, 156
bumblebees, 89, 172
Butler, Charles, 55–56, 158
butyric anhydride, 164, 165
calcium absorption, 158
California buckeye (Aesculus californica), 148
carbohydrates, 49, 64
carpentry, 14, 24–25, 40
Caruso, Enrico, 158
catkins, 64
Caucasian bees, 107
centrifugal spinners, 167
Cerberus, 59
Chalk Brood, 77, 83
Cherry Tree, The (Bell), 75–76
cherry trees, 66
chickens, wax-moth larvae eaten by, 87
cicadas, 139–41
citrus flowers, 133
classical mythology, 53–55, 58–60, 148, 158
cleansing flights, 47–48
climate, 51–52, 53, 132–33
clover, 3–4, 27, 149, 156
Ladino, 142
sweet, 142–43
white-blossomed, 142–43
clusters, bee, 51, 81, 104, 130
cockroaches, 18, 82, 86, 156
cocoons, bee, 65
Columella, 55
comb honey, 39, 133
commercial operations, 20, 22, 51–52, 88, 110, 133
communication, bee, 58, 111, 130
copperheads, 172
Cornell University, 12
coveralls, bee, 7, 29–30
cowbirds, 152
cows, protection from, 8, 46
creosote, 42
Cretaceous era, 49
crib death, 158
crocuses, 65
crop spraying, 136–39
crystallization, honey, 156, 169
Cuevas de la Arena, 49
cypress lumber, 13
Cyrene, 59–60
daffodils, 65, 69–70, 83
Dahl, Roald, 150
Dancing Bees, The (von Frisch), 58, 130
dandelion, 133
death camas (Zygadenus venenosus), 148
“devil chaser,” 154–55
dewberries, 70, 119
dextrose, 155, 156
“different bloods,” 149–50
diploid cells, 92
Diptera order, 67
diseases, bee, 7, 37, 70, 71–74, 76, 77, 86, 124, 128
see also specific diseases
dodder (Cuscuta spp.), 148
dogwood, 114
donor hives, 51, 105
drone gut, 94
drones, 20, 56, 93–94, 112, 113, 114, 118
Dutchman’s-breeches, 89
eggs:
cells for, 112
laying worker, 111–12
of queen bee, 49, 65, 78, 91, 92–93, 99, 105, 106, 108, 120–23, 132, 149
sterile, 112
electric wire embedders, 45
end bars, 43
entomology, 24, 57, 93
entrance reducers, 23–24
enzymes, 155
equipment, beekeeping, 7, 38–46
Erickson, Eric H., 57, 88
Essex County (Mass.) Agricultural Society, 86
European Foulbrood, 72
Eurydice, 59, 60
extension agents, 138
extracted honey, 39, 133, 165–69
federal bee laboratories, 57, 72, 73
feeders, trough, 13, 39, 74–75, 102, 132, 134
feeding of bees, 13, 51, 68–69, 74–76, 108–9, 115, 118
Feminine Monarchic, written out of Experience, The (Butler), 56
fescue, 27
filberts, 63
fire bush, 90
flies, bee-mimicking, 67
flowering quince (Chemoneles sinensis), 90
flowers:
color of, 88–89
poisonous, 148–49
pollination of, 3–4, 20, 65, 69, 89
types of, 27, 88–89, 114–15
see also specific flowers
fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), 47, 89–90, 145
frame grips, 11, 16, 18, 38, 78, 103
frames:
assembling of, 43–46
brood, 65–66, 78, 79, 80, 82, 104, 105, 112, 114
jigs for, 43–44
movable, 9–11
number of, 39
parts of, 43–44
queen, 100
queen excluders for, 120–23
split-bottom, 43
wax foundations for, 8–9, 13, 39, 44–46, 80, 134, 168
wire for, 39, 44–46
Free, J. B., 111
frosts, 6
fruit trees, 27, 66, 137
full-depth supers, 9
fume boards, 163, 164, 165
fumigating supers, 120, 163, 164, 165, 171–72
fungi, 72, 77
gauntlets, bee, 7, 15–16, 38–39
genetics, 92–93
Georgics (Virgil), 53–55
Gleanings in Bee Culture, 38, 147
“goat’s death,” 148
golden rod, 6
goldfinches, 152
Gould, J. L., 57
grasshoppers, 138
great crested flycatchers, 120
guard bees, 22, 23, 113–14, 144
Hades, 59
hangovers, 158
haploid cells, 93
hardware cloth, 32
hay fever, 65, 159
hazel (Corylus americana), 63
hazelnut, 51
health-food industry, 64–65, 150
helmets, 7, 38–39
hemoglobin count, 158
henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), 66
herbal remedies, 154–55
herbicides, 136
hexagonal honeycomb-cell pattern, 9, 13
Hive and the Honeybee, The (Langstroth), 11, 57
hive bodies:
covered, 134, 136
painting of, 42–43
queen excluders for, 120–21
removal of, 102, 104
rotation of, 79–80
stacked, 8–9, 13
for swarms, 131
ten-frame, 9, 13
hives:
assembling of, 38–46
bacteria in, 7, 71–72, 74
&nb
sp; boards underneath, 7, 17
bodies of, 8–9, 13, 39, 42–43, 79–80, 102, 104, 120–21, 131, 134, 136
bottoms for, 13, 39, 40–42, 43, 134
clearing around, 141, 144
color of, 42
combining of, 20–23, 113–14, 116–19
disruption of, 29–30, 68, 80–81, 82, 102–3, 107, 114
division of, 80, 128
donor, 51, 105
drafts in, 16
entrance of, 17, 18, 23–24, 32, 131
established, 37
fastening of, 28–29, 32
feeders for, 13, 39, 74–75, 102, 132, 134
fences for, 8, 46
foreign material in, 22
forward tilt to, 81, 109
fumigation of, 120, 163, 164, 165, 171–72
handgrips on, 17
inner cover of, 13–14, 17, 39, 42, 77
laying worker, 110–14
moisture level of, 7, 153
moving of, 27–29, 32–34, 132–33
nails for, 39, 41–42, 44
nucleus, 99, 102, 105, 106, 107, 108, 110, 113–14, 115, 117, 118, 133–34
number of, 33, 39, 40, 80, 144–45
odor of, 6–7
over-cover for, 39
painting of, 42–43
parts of, 7, 9–11, 13–14
pests in, 46, 82, 87, 156
plundered, 18, 19, 22, 72, 77, 81
population of, 23, 49
position of, 47, 81, 109
productivity of, 4, 8, 18–19, 27, 46–47, 68, 77, 90, 114, 116
queen excluders for, 120–23
queenless, 22–23, 40, 110–14
queenright, 40, 108, 111, 112
rotting of, 7, 13, 27, 33
screens for, 32
sealing of, 16
selling of, 5–6, 8, 28–29
starter, 39, 108–9, 132, 133–36
telescoping cover for, 14, 27, 39, 42, 43, 46, 77
temperature of, 47–51, 75, 94, 101, 142, 167
temporary, 100
two-story, 33
ventilation holes of, 14, 23, 32–33, 42, 105, 115, 131, 153, 155
weak, 20–23
weight of, 33
wind protection for, 77
see also frames; supers
hive staples, 28
hive tool, 16, 17, 18, 38, 78, 102, 103
Hodge, C. F., 78
honey:
allergic response to, 148
antibacterial qualities of, 158
as anti-freeze, 157
ash content of, 156
aster, 6–7, 16, 51
baking with, 157
bitter, 149
blackberry, 120, 122, 149, 156
buckwheat, 156
clover, 3–4, 142–43, 149, 156
color of, 156
comb, 39, 133
composition of, 155–56
contamination of, 74, 137, 147–48
crystallization of, 156, 169
extracted, 39, 133, 165–69
facts about, 155–60
flavor of, 156
foreign, 142
green, 148
harvesting of, 19, 136, 142–43, 145, 150, 161–73
as “health food,” 150
A Book of Bees Page 17
