222 THE HONEY-BEE. 



As a rule, those who are accustomed to manipulate 

 hives gently and fearlessly, may do so without the 

 protection of veil and gloves. We have, however, 

 mentioned the exceptional cases of persons who 

 appear to be naturally offensive to bees ; and such 

 individuals must either clothe themselves against 

 the possibility of being stung, or altogether avoid 

 apiculture. 



It is also true that, under some circumstances, bees 

 become, like human beings, unaccountably irritable ; 

 and then it is better to keep at a safe distance from 

 them, or to approach them clad in bee-dress. It is 

 especially maddening to them to become entangled 

 in the hair of the head or face, and if one of them 

 has unwarily thus ensnared itself, it is advisable to 

 extricate it as speedily as possible, or it will assuredly 

 inflict a wound. 



Woollen gloves, and some kinds of leather ones, 

 seem also to be very objectionable to the insects ; 

 anything, in fact, which obstructs their freedom of 

 motion, immediately throws them into a passion. 



One simple, but very necessary precaution, is, to 

 avoid breathing upon them, when observing them or 

 examining the combs of a bar-frame hive. Blowing 

 at them infuriates them, and they will savagely 

 fly at the face of any one attempting it. Particular 

 electrical conditions of the atmosphere are said to 

 make them irascible. On very hot days, also, they 

 are liable to get out of temper ; and showery weather, 

 which drives them frequently home from work, 

 appears to put them in bad humour. 



Again, if they have lost their queen, or if she is 

 absent on her nuptial excursion, or if any other event 



