90 SOUTHERN BEE CULTURE 



Otherwise, if it is left to the bees they will build more or less drone 

 comb (comb with large cells), and each season rear a large army of drones 

 which are useless consumers. For further benefits derived from the use 

 of foundation, see "Economy in Bee-keeping." 



ROBBER BEES. 



I once heard a veteran bee-keeper remark that honey-bees are in 

 some particulars more like the human race than any other living object. 

 I do not know that this is true; but I do know that they are similar in 

 some particulars; and one is, taking what is another's, or robbing each 

 other, whenever occasion permits. The bee's desire for honey seems to be 

 about as strong as man's desire for money, and will go right between 

 the jaws of death for it. Bees in one hive have no feeling at all for bees 

 in another hive; and if they are permitted they will enter each other's 

 hives and remove the last drop of their honey, showing no mercy at all 

 There are more or less robbers in each apiary, but the larger the apiary 

 the more robbers there will be, and, of course, the more mischief they will 

 do. There seem to be some bees more roguish than others ; and as soon 

 as they get to stealing from some poor helpless colony the fact is made 

 known to all their sisters, and they all prove to be robbers. Strong colonies 

 will defend themselves; but the weak ones are subject to them at any time, 

 and for that reason the entrances of nuclei or very weak colonies should be 

 kept contracted to a very small opening so that they can better defend 

 themselves. 



Robber bees can be easily detected by the way they behave around 

 the entrances of other colonies. They fly with outstretched legs, collect 

 around the bees which are standing guard at the entrances, and even 

 alight near and sometimes right among the guards which are awaiting their 

 chance to kill them, and many of them are thus killed. Sometimes robber 

 bees have their profession so nearly mastered that they can alight down 

 among the guards as the field-bees do, and pass in the hive and fill them- 

 selves with honey, and escape out without seeming to be detected by the 

 bees ; but these "slick" robbers are scarce, and soon disappear, or can be 

 found on the ground in front of some strong colony dead, their bodies 

 punctured with stings. After the robber bees have overpowered some help- 

 less, weak colony, and are fast carrying out their stores, it is more difficult 

 to detect them; but it will be seen that they fly from the alighting-board 

 heavy, and some of them have made such "hogs" of themselves that they 

 attempt to fly, but fall on to the ground, and a number of them may be 

 seen climbing up on grass or weeds, so that they will have a start to fly- 

 Tlien if you will open the hive you will see them at their mischief, carrying 

 out the honey, tearing down the comb, and running over the helpless 



