1908 



(^,LEANINC;S IN BEE CULTURE. 



871 



CONVERSATIONS WITH 

 DOOLITTLE 



WORKING WITH VICIOUS BEES. 



A correspondent writes, asking that I tell the 

 readers of Gleanings how I master "awtully 

 cross bees." I take it that he has bees which 

 need more than the usual means to subdue them. 

 Where I find a colony (as I do sometimes when 

 others wish me to do some work with certain col- 

 onies in their apiaries) that will not yield to a 

 tew puffs of smoke blown in at the entrance, and 

 then a little smoke blown over the tops of the 

 frames when opening the hive, I always treat 

 such "awfully" cross colonies as follows: 



With the smoker burning nicely, and full of 

 fuel, I step to the entrance of the hive and send 

 into it a few pufts of smoke, blowing as strongly 

 as possible so that the smoke may reach all 

 through the hive as nearly as may be, when the 

 entrance is closed, and the hive strongly jarred 

 by being pounded with the doubled-up fist or a 

 stick of wood. But the doubled-up fist is better, 

 as one will not be likely to pound it hard enough 

 to break down any combs, which may happen 

 when striking with a heavy stick. This jarring, 

 together with the smoke, causes the bees to fill 

 themselves with honey, which can be hastened by 

 opening the entrance in about a minute, puffing 

 in more smoke, and then shutting and pounding 

 again. If many bees from the fields have collect- 

 ed at the entrance it is better to let them run in 

 before smoking the second time, as they will add 

 to the hubbub by being greeted with smoke im- 

 mediately after entering. In about three min- 

 utes from the time of starting, one can open up 

 the worst colony of bees ever seen, when thus 

 treated, without any of the bees offering to sting. 

 But if the bees are of the black or hybrid variety 

 they will run all over, out of the hive, down un- 

 der the bottom-board, or almost anywhere in- 

 stead of staying on their combs. For this reason, 

 when treating black or hybrid bees I generally 

 take some old box or cap to a hive, or in absence 

 of these an empty hive, and set this on top of the 

 colony to be treated, after first having removed 

 the cover from over the frames to the colony, us- 

 ing smoke while doing so, and Ithe smoking and 

 pounding will cause the bees, after filling up with 

 honey, to run up into the hive or box provided, 

 in which place they are out of the way, and there 

 is no danger of losing the queen. In this way 

 bees will remain quiet for the time desired, after 

 which they may be shaken down in front of their 

 home, into which they will run like a swarm. 

 Even the worst Cyprians I ever saw can be mas- 

 tered in this way; but it needs about five minutes 

 to put these into a thoroughly submissive state. 



Now having told how the thing is done I wish 

 to say that it is rare that as harsh treatment as 

 this has to be resorted to, for 499 colonies out of 

 500 will allow of being handled without showing 

 unreasonable temper with a few puffs of smoke 

 at the entrance and a little over the tops of the 

 frames when the hive is first opened. Yes, fur- 

 ther, with 99 out of every 100 of my own colonies 

 which I handle, I never think of blowing any 

 smoke in at the entrance — simply raise the cover- 



ing over the frames as quietly as possible; and as 

 the cover rises gently, draw the bellows of the 

 smoker together so that a little smoke may float 

 over the tops of the frames, when I do what I 

 wish with the bees without further smoking. 

 Many colonies can be handled without any smoke 

 whatever; but without it the bees will be more or 

 less in the way, so I use smoke very lightly, in 

 this way, on every colony opened, even if I know 

 they do not need it to keep them from being an- 

 gry at the rudeness from the light being sudden- 

 ly let in upon them. In all operations with the 

 bees the motto should be," Use as little smoke as 

 possible, but never be stampeded by any colony." 

 Another correspondent wishes me to tell why 

 his bees are so cross, but gives me no data to go 

 by. The Italian, Carniolan, and Caucasian bees 

 are not cross without cause; but hybrids and 

 Cyprian bees, as well as the Syrians and very 

 many colonies of the blacks, are easily aroused — 

 in fact, ready for "war" on the least provocation. 

 Then if any hive is being robbed, or honey has 

 been left out till robbing of the same has gotten 

 well under way, the whole apiary, during a time 

 of scarcity, may be suddenly turned "from 

 lambs into tigers." The remedy here is very ob- 

 vious. Tearing off the covers hastily, or bump- 

 ing the hives while opening, before using any 

 smoke, often exasperates the bees so that ten times 

 the amount of smoke is needed before we can go 

 on with our work which would not have been 

 needed had we worked quietly and given a little 

 smoke gently, just as the cover began to be raised 

 from over the frames. Such a mode of treating 

 the bees is much like the bad parent who gives 

 the word and a blow, generally giving the blow 

 first. Always treat the bees humanely, and give 

 smoke first. Where ants have formed their 

 homes about the top of the hives, so that they 

 are ready to run in among the bees at the first 

 crack being made between the hive and the cover 

 as it is lifted, it often irritates the most peaceable 

 colony, so that a severe smoking has to be given 

 them before they will yield to the apiarist. Rem- 

 edy — don't open the hive until you have stam- 

 peded the ants by killing or otherwise. I do not 

 suppose many have trouble with snakes; but at 

 our out-apiary there are quite a few small snakes 

 — small enough to run in at the entrance of the 

 hives. The bees do not seem to be able to sting 

 the snakes, but they lay hold on them, when the 

 snake will "thrash around," hitting the frames 

 and causing an uproar sufficient to drive every 

 thing away from the apiary for some hours unless 

 the bees are subdued by a vigorous smoking and 

 pounding. When working one day, a snake 

 about fifteen inches long wiggled itself out from 

 the hive with two or three hundred bees hanging 

 to it hissing and trying to sting. I marked where 

 it stopped, and, after subduing the bees (I came 

 near being driven from the yard), I went and 

 killed it; but an examination did not show a sin- 

 gle sting about it anywhere. It got off much 

 better than I did (save the killing), for I received 

 forty or fifty stings, although I did the best I 

 could short of running away. Then on cold 

 days, or at times when honey is not coming in 

 from the flowers, the old bees do not like to be 

 disturbed, and occasionally will sting with a ven- 

 geance. I have worked at the bees during a pleas- 

 ant forenoon, when the bees were busy, without 



