18 A Modern Bee-Farm 
for the time being, as it checks the marauders; but the 
best plan is that of 
Puzzling the Robbers at their own Entrance, 
a point too frequently overlooked. The most determined 
onrush of pilferers can be stopped at once, and everything 
be quiet in five minutes, if their own entrance is at once 
disguised by placing a sack over the front of the hive, 
leaving the returning thieves just a small opening at 
one side. 
The sack may be drawn closely at the sides in the 
evening, giving but slight egress rather late in the mornings 
for a time. This is better than distressing that lot being 
robbed, though their entrance may be reduced, or protected 
by a shallow funnel made of perforated small hole zinc. 
Having shown that the first care of the apiarist is to be 
cautious, that his bees may always be held well in hand, 
it will now be desirable to consider under what conditions 
they may be handled without fear of being stung. We 
will first note that as a rule, 
Clustering Swarms do not Sting. 
Nearly everyone has noticed how readily a new swarm 
may be handled ; the bees having no inclination to sting. 
The reason is not so much that they are full of honey, as 
is usual in swarming time, but that they are homeless, 
and have only recently been under great excitement. By 
the aid of some intimidant, the bees of an established 
colony may also be excited and made to fill themselves 
with honey, when the combs can be removed at will. It 
does not happen, however, that all the bees rush to the 
cells ; I have frequently noticed that many do not attempt 
to do so, but these may be already loaded, though the 
state of excitement is so soon communicated to all that 
