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prefer to swarm. In the de Layens hive, the bees are stuck between two frames of honey and therefore
swarm, as if they were short of space, with several empty frames beyond those filled with honey. The
beekeeper can certainly remedy this fault. If he moves the frames covered with honey away from the
brood and replaces the frames containing honey with empty frames, the bees will not swarm, at least
not from lack of room, but in these conditions the problem is worsened, and it is better if boxes are
added vertically to the hive, both for the beekeeper and for the bees.
With the People's Hive, as we can increase its size from below, we can do this very early, and
only once, with as many boxes as the strength of the colony demands. We avoid swarming through
lack of space. We need not fear chilling the brood nor annoying the bees and we avoid a lot of trouble.
When we have carried out this enlargement in April, in the Easter holidays if this time suits us, we
leave the bees to their work and in peace and we need do no more than return to harvest the honey in
August, during the summer holidays.
Furthermore, this enlargement of the hive from below is real and leaves the space freely at the
disposal of the bees. In the People's Hive, as in all hives, the bees first deposit nectar near the entrance
to save time, but in early evening they carry it to its final position above or beside the brood. The main
cause of swarming, lack of space, is thus really reduced by our method.
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, its quality would be poorer. But in the
People's Hive, most of the pollen disappears with the brood. Only a little remains as is found in all
hives, even in supers where there has been no brood.
As for combs that have contained brood, they only change the taste or the colour of the honey
when they are black and spongy, because a fermentation has developed. But if our method is carefully
followed such comb never occurs. Its place it taken by comb that is light-brown [blond foncé: – nearly
the colour of hazelnut, Tr.] and with greater ease.
In other hives, the honey is first deposited in the bottom frames, and thus in frames that have
contained brood. And it is not unusual for these frames to be black, therefore capable of changing the
colour and taste of the honey, for, in these hives, the replacement of old frames is difficult and it is not
uncommon that the beekeeper does not do it.
One may also argue that in the People's Hive, the honeys from different seasons is mixed.
But we have pointed out in another section that only mixed honeys are healthy and worth
recommending. Moreover, in reality, the different honeys are only mixed at extraction. In the hive
they are deposited one above the other in layers going from top to bottom, proportional in size to the
forage at different times of the year.
If the beekeeper is interested in meeting the tastes of his customers, there is nothing to stop him
from extracting a box or even a few combs from time to time.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the honey late in the season, generally the darkest, is placed
at the bottom of the stores, and as a result immediately above the bee cluster. This will be the honey
that the bees consume first and which should be left for them when preparing the hives for winter.
Simplifying the harvest
In our hive, as with others, the hive has to be opened and the bees have to be cleared with smoke.
An entire super or hive-body box can be removed, or just individual combs.
It is only in adjusting the winter stores that there is a difference between our method and the
others, but to our advantage.