86 THE HUMBLE-BEE 



find the way in. Unfortunately the hay - rake 

 destroys many surface nests, consequently these 

 should be taken directly the hay is cut. 



As regards the taking of the nest, I have never 

 been able to improve upon a method I devised when 

 a boy. 



The apparatus needed is quite simple a strong 

 trowel, two glass jars with narrow necks, ordinary 

 i lb. jam jars do very well, and two squares of card 

 large enough to cover the mouths of the jars ; also 

 a little box to hold the comb, though in my boyhood 

 I used to carry it in my pocket-handkerchief. 



The nest should be taken in the afternoon. 

 Having found the hole in the ground that the bees 

 pass through, I start digging it out with the trowel, 

 taking care not to lose it. After going straight down 

 for a few inches the hole generally takes an oblique, 

 and finally an almost horizontal course. I dig a 

 little deeper than the hole, thus keeping a cavity 

 underneath it, into which all the loose earth falls, 

 and out of which it can be easily shovelled. Sooner 

 or later the hole may divide into two or more, and 

 now it is a question which of these leads to the nest. 

 One is not kept long in doubt. There is a rumbling, 

 followed by an angry buzz, and out rushes a very 

 fussy worker from one of the holes. She may 

 tumble out into the cavity and there lie motionless 

 on her back, ready to seize and sting anything 

 that touches her, or she may attempt to seek safety 

 in flight, or she may run back down the hole, growl- 

 ing as she goes. But before she has time to decide 



