GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



shelter, more moisture remained in the 

 packing, and in freezing gave back some 

 of its heat. Up to this time it caused no 

 trouble. But when this mass began to thaw- 

 it proved worse than worthless, for it called 

 back all of the heat it had given up, and at 

 a time when the bees could least afford it. 

 This condition, however, could have been 

 avoided if attention to the packing had been 

 given before now. As it was, it turned the 

 scale for the time in favor of the exposed 

 di-\dsion. But, wait a while. 



Later on, the sheltered division gave a 

 good account of itself. It proved that " lo- 

 cation " is a factor in beekeeping in more 

 senses than one. After all, it is not so 

 much a question how many colonies sui'\dve 

 the winter, but, rather, what progress the 

 survivors are making in early spring. It is 

 the bees at the day of harvest that count. 



" Bees in the shelter are more prone to 

 swarm." If this assertion were true, and no 

 swarms were desii-ed, this would seem to 

 throw the advantage again in favor of the 

 exposed. But shelter is not conducive to 

 swarming except so far as it favors brood- 

 rearing. Give more time to the exposed 

 colony, and manage it the same otherwise, 

 and it will usually swarm. " Time is mon- 

 ey." Especially is this true with the bee- 

 keeper, for here lies the difference between 

 a crop of honey and no crop at all. 



I say, keep in the shelter and use more 

 packing. 



Knox, Ind. 



BEES DO NOT LOSE THEIR STINGS WHEN AT- 

 TACKING OTHER BEES 



BY ELIAS FOX 



In thirty years of practical experience 

 with bees, during which time I have seen a 

 good many queens and thousands of work- 

 ers killed by being stung, I have yet to see 

 the first bee with a sting lodged in it. I 

 have seen thousands of them administering 

 the sting, but never yet saw one lose its 

 sting. They do the work vei-y quickly, and 

 are immediately ready for another or per- 

 haps a dozen more victims. This, it seems 

 to me, is a wise provision of nature, that 

 they may protect their homes against in- 

 truders and robbers; for if it were not so, 

 a colony would be nearly defenseless. On 

 the other hand, it is a wise provision of 

 nature that they lose their stings when using 

 them on their' keepers and animals, as a 

 warning to be more discreet in their appli- 

 cation. 



Tf you think the pain is less severe when 

 the sting is not retained in the flesh, some 



time next sunmier on some hot day while 

 3'ou are bending over a hive let a bee sting 

 you on the back just between the shoulders. 

 You will straighten up so quickly that the 

 sting will be instantaneously withdrawn by 

 the shii't ; and if you don't say it is as pain- 

 ful a sting as you ever received I am no 

 judge of i^ain. 



As for drones, I don't know, as I never 

 yet have seen a bee sting one, although I 

 have seen them make all the motions, and 

 act as if they wanted to sting them; yet I 

 think it is very evident that they do sting 

 them — at least I know they can cover the 

 ground in front of the entrance with dead 

 drones over night when the honey-flow is 

 brought to an abrupt end. But I never j^et 

 have seen a sting left in one, neither do I 

 believe they lose their stings when killing 

 drones any more than when they kill a 

 Avorker or queen. If they did it would be a 

 queer 23rovision of a wise Creator, as it is 

 just as essential to the welfare of the colony 

 that they rid themselves of the useless 

 drones after the honey-flow ceases as it is to 

 rear them so carefully before the flow. 



Tlie queen's sting is a little different in 

 shape from that of the worker, being slight- 

 ly curved, and apparently smooth, and free 

 from barbs, similar to that of a yellowjack- 

 et or wasp that can sting every time occa- 

 sion calls for it. I should like to ask if any 

 une has ever been stung by a queen bee. 



Out of curiosity I have tried every con- 

 ceivable manner, both with virgins and old 

 laying queens, to have them sting my hands 

 and arms, and have never yet been able to 

 have that curiosity satisfied ; and if any one 

 else has, I am from Missouri. 



VEILS. 



1 was amused to read Arthur C. Miller's 

 article, Dec. 15, p. 808, relative to the vari- 

 ous veils. To me there is more real merit in 

 the last two lines than all the rest of it. 

 His pet veil, I see, has the same petticoat 

 that he was making fun of. I have tried 

 the most of them he has described, in a less 

 exaggerated form, and the very best one I 

 have found is the good black net with black 

 net silk and all, with a good rubber cord in 

 each end, one of which fits tightly ai'ound 

 a hat of any kind, and the other around the 

 neck. It can be adjusted or removed almost 

 in a second; is always ready, and can be 

 carried in the vest pocket if desired, with no 

 danger of receiving sting's through it. I 

 feel just as safe in one of these among tlie 

 bees as I would in my house with doors and 

 windows screened. I would not give one for 

 a dozen of any other kind I have ever seen 

 or read of. 



Union Center, AYis., Dec. 27. 



