ROBBING. 



386 



ROBBIKG. 



work, divided colonies, cunght queens, and 

 even handled vicious hybrids with fewer 

 stings than we could possibly have avoided 

 in the daytime.* 



This experience of working by lamplight 

 was at a time when an A B C scholar 

 did not know how to control, or, better, pre- 

 vent, robbing in the day time. But preven- 

 tion is better than cure. Keep the entrances 

 of weak colonies and nuclei contracted, and 

 keep all sweets in a closed room or sealed 

 cans where the bees can't get a taste, and 

 you will have no trouble. But if you must 



ConvL'iiient Wire Cagv for Use cluriugKobbing' aud Swarming- Seasons. 



open your hives much during the dearth of 

 honey, as in the case of queen-rearing, then 

 follow the plan now to be described. 



HOW TO REMOVE THE ROBBING TENDENCY 

 BY OUTDOOR FEEDING. 



When honey is coming in fast or even 

 slowly, of course there is no robbing; but as 

 the nectar supply stops, bees begin to pry 

 around to find what they can steal. At such 

 times, when hives are opened for examina- 

 tion robbers will be about; and if the combs 

 are exposed very much by such handling 

 they v\ ill pounce upon the hive and combs 

 in great numbers, and then attack the en- 

 trance after the hive is closed up. If one is 



* Since the above was written we have found that 

 a good lantern is preferable to a lamp. The latter 

 is apt to be affected by lig-ht breezes, and is often 

 blown out. The former, while not open to this 

 objection, will receive rougher handling. During 

 the season of 1886 we used the lantern in the apiary 

 with entire success. 



trying to rear queens the results will be dis- 

 couraging. Bees get cross, refuse to start 

 cells, or, if built out, tear them down, and 

 kill off drones, and destroy drone brood. 



The fact that there is no robbing when 

 honey is coming in suggests the remedy; 

 viz., feed outdoors a thin syrup of the con- 

 sistency of raw nectar, half granulated su- 

 gar and half water, made as directed under 

 Feeding, which see. This should be put 

 into a 60-pound square honey-can with holes 

 punched in the top, as described under sub- 

 title of Outdoor Feeding, in Feeding 

 AND Feeders, which 

 see. This feeder should 

 be stationed about a 

 hundred yards from 

 the apiary, and filled 

 as often as emptied. 

 While this feeding is 

 going on the condi- 

 tions are much like 

 those of a natural 

 honey-flow. The rob- 

 bers are all busy 

 around the outdoor 

 feeder. Brood-rearing 

 commences, cells are 

 started and built out, 

 drones even permitted 

 to remain, and queen- 

 rearing operations can 

 continue just about as 

 in a honey-flow. 



Where other bees are 



near, usually some ar- 



arrangement can be 



made with their owner 



whereby he will pay his part of the expense. 



If no satisfactory agreement can be arrived 



at, of course the colonies will have to be fed 



individually, as directed luider Feeding. 



CAUTION ABOUT OUTDOOR FEEDING. 



Don't use honey for this purpose unless it 

 is diluted with water to about the consisten- 

 cy of nectar from the flowers; and even then 

 it is safer to use sugar, as it is not so apt to 

 excite the bees. Once feeding is begun it 

 should be kept up either till the colonies are 

 supplied with needed stores or work about 

 the colonies is finished. To feed a little 

 one day, then skip the next, is apt to make 

 the bees on the off days prowl around among 

 your neighbors and into their kitchens, 

 greatly to the annoyance of the occupants. 



HOW TO FEED OUT UNFINISHED SECTIONS 

 OR WET EXTRACTING-COMBS. 



While these can be scattered out in the 

 open, it is quite sure to result in fearful rob- 



