50 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOUENAL. 



with the utmost velocity, and almost all of them 

 are fighting, some to effect an entrance by force, 

 others to prevent it; whilst others are busily 

 engaged in driving out those who have already 

 obtained admittance. Some are observed in the 

 pursuit of others, whom they catcli hold of by 

 their hinder legs or their wings; and Avho, know- 

 ing that their life is in jeopardy, are seen mak- 

 ing every effort to escape. Others fall upon 

 those who arrive, and often upon one of their 

 own community, whom they arc prevented re- 

 cognizing from the anger by which they are in- 

 stigated, and to Avhom they seem disposed to 

 give no greater degree of quarter than to the 

 strangers. In fine, there is on Uie whole a disor- 

 der, a confusion, a frightful carnage before the 

 entrance of this ill-fated hive, which scarcely 

 knows friend from foe, and the bees of which 

 atiack each other without discriminatioh, 



When, therefore, scA^cral bees are seen hov- 

 ering about, and particularly before the en- 

 trance of the hive, and they are seen to alight 

 at times near the bees which guard the entrance, 

 and fly away Avith rapidity; and finally, Avhen 

 a bee of the hive recognizes the daring robber, 

 then may the hive be considered as in great 

 danger. These bees msy be called the foragers 

 or advanced guard, who are sent forth to^lis- 

 cover the most vulnerable point of the hive on 

 which the attack is intended to be made. Fur- 

 ther, if on closely examining the hive, a bee is 

 perceived to dart upon one, or upon a number 

 of others which hover about the hive, and that 

 this bee, after ha^dng pursued his enemy re- 

 turns immediately to join his companions, and 

 places himself with them in a menacing pos- 

 ture, Avhich is not difficult to be ascertained by 

 those who are in the habit of Avatching the mo- 

 tions of these extraordinary insects, the conclu- 

 sion may be instantly draAvn that this hive is 

 threatened Avith pillage. These bold and auda- 

 cious robbers are seen to pass Avitli an astonish- 

 ing rapidity before the entrance of the hives 

 where the domiciliated bees are ahvays on their 

 guard against their enterprise. Sometimes they 

 alight with the greatest effrontery in the very 

 midst of those who guard the avenues, and 

 tiien take to their Avings with the utmost pre- 

 cipitation, when they see some of the domicili- 

 ated bees, Avho liaA'e no idea of taking a joke, 

 pounce upon them, and, like death-head huz- 

 zars, give no quarter to the enemy. 



At another time, when the robber delays his 

 escape too long, a bee of the hive catches him 

 by the hinder leg, and yields not his hold vmtil 

 the intruder takes Aving, dragging his enemy 

 after him. If, during this struggle, two or three 

 other bees should come to the assistance of their 

 companion, Avoe then to the robber; he is seized 

 by the legs and wings, and he may deem him- 

 self fortunate, indeed, if he escape Avith his life. 



When these signs present themselves, the 

 greatest fears may be entertained for the hive, 

 and if, instead of one or two bees hovering 

 about it, a number are seen, dodging here and 

 there, the conclusion maj'^ be draAvn that the 

 Aveakncss of the hive has been discovered, and 

 tliat it is on the eve of being regularly and for- 

 mally attacked. It becomes therefore a particu- 



lar part of the duty of the apiarian to pay fre- 

 quent visits to his hives during the seasons 

 Avhen robberies are the most prevalent. Par- 

 ticular care, however, should be taken not to 

 confound the robbing bees with the young ones, 

 Avho from the hours of tweh^e to three amuse 

 themselves by flying about the hives in great 

 numbers, and whose motions very much resem- 

 ble those of the pillaging bees. There are, how- 

 ever, particular signs by Avhich the attentive 

 observer may distinguish the young bees from 

 the strangers, who are meditating an attack. 

 The young bees keep constantly before the en- 

 trance of the hive, and they have always the 

 head turned tOAvards its centre, Avhereas the be- 

 sieging bees dodge about the hive in CA'ery quar- 

 ter, Avithout confining themselves to any par- 

 ticular position. 



There exists a very simple method of ascer- 

 taining whether the bees, which are hoA^ering 

 about in numbers before the hiA^e, belong to the 

 apiary, or Avhether they be robbers. Sprinkle 

 some flour on the bees, and then watch if any 

 of them enter the hive without opposition, 

 Avhicli immediately determines whether they 

 be friends or foes. 



In regard to the prevention of pillage, if there 

 be a Aveak hive in the apiary of which any fear 

 is entertained, let the following plan be adopt- 

 ed. The hive must be instantly remoA^ed iTom 

 the apiary, and placed in a retired situation in 

 the garden, about five or six hundred paces, or 

 a quarter of a mile distant, and it should then 

 be covered Avith branches or fagots, to protect 

 it from the vicAV of the bees flying into the fields 

 in search of food. 



The entrance must be so contracted as to 

 permit only one bee to come out at a time, 

 Avhich is very easily done with putty or clay; 

 in which state the hive must be left until it be 

 perceived that it is Avholly tranquil, and that it 

 is no further molested by stranger bees. 



The removal of the hive, however, must in 

 some measure depend on the discretion and 

 judgment of the proprietor, especially Avhen 

 the pillage is supposed to proceed on account of 

 two or three days being adverse to the collec- 

 tion of honey; because, under such circumstan- 

 ces, it would be sufficient to close the entrance 

 of the menaced hive, leaving open merely a 

 small aperture for the bees to inhale the air. It 

 is a plan, however, Avhich Ave generally follow 

 when Ave see a hive threatened Avith robbers; 

 but if, on opening it, two or three days after- 

 wards, it is still perceived to be in danger, we 

 then lose not a moment in removing it. 



As the greater number of the hives Avhichare 

 tormented by robbers are Aveak and in want of 

 provisions, it Avould be advisable to give them 

 a little food in the evening after sunset, taking 

 care at the same time so to close the entrance 

 that no stranger bee can gain admittance; for 

 were this precaution neglected, the danger of 

 the hive is increased, not removed. Consider- 

 able judgment is required in the feeding of weak 

 hives, for from a Avant of the necessary precau- 

 tion Ave have often seen a whole apiary put into 

 commotion, and especially if the food has been 

 administered exteriorly. 



