For zone 2 it will be desirable to put the bees away a little earlier, although the oncoming of winter is not so much earlier in the North as one might imagine.
When one person carries the bees into the cellar the best method is to stand at the back of the hive and grasp the bottom of the hive with both hands. The hive is then lifted and the cover brought up against the chest firmly, permitting the operator to walk without interference and with a minimum of stooping. If there are cleats on the ends of the hive bodies, those may be rested on the forearms, although with this method there is some danger that the bottoms will drop off unless they are stapled.
If the temperature is sufficiently low (slightly above freezing), there will be no need of closing the entrances when the bees are being carried in. Every care should be taken not to jar the hives more than is absolutely necessary from the time that they are lifted until they are in their final place in the cellar.
If more than one person is engaged in carrying in the hives, the hives may be placed carefully on carriers with handles, and two or more of them may be carried at one time.
The bottom hive in a pile should rest on an empty hive body or some other such support of about that size (figs. 2 and 3). The hives then should be placed one on top of the other until they are four high. It is best by far to put each pile of four hives about 6 inches from adjacent piles, so that in handling the hives on one pile there is no disturbance of bees in other piles. Allowance is made for this space between the piles of hives in the estimate of the floor space needed for each colony (p. 9).
MAINTENANCE OF THE CELLAR DURING THE WINTER.
If the cellar is properly constructed it will need little if any care during the time that the bees are inside. It is only the poor bee cellar which requires constant attention to prevent changes in temperature.
There has been much discussion as to the best temperature of the cellar during the winter. Commonly it is stated that a temperature of 40° to 45° F. is best, but this is colder than usually is best for the finest results. A temperature below 40° F. is invariably bad for the bees, and a cellar in which the temperature goes as low as freezing is not a fit place for bees.