80 ROBBING. 



Before taking the trouble to remove a hive as here 

 directed, care should be taken to be certain that the 

 bees are being robbed. You can be sure whether 

 it is your ov\rn bees or others that are robbing, by 

 sprinkling them with flour as they come from the 

 hive which you suspect is being robbed, and watch- 

 ing your other hives, to see if those you have marked 

 enter them, being very careful that you are not de- 

 ceived by the dust from some species of blossoms, 

 which adheres to the body ot the bee, and might be 

 mistaken for the flour. 



Bees when plundering a stock will often keep at 

 their work until dark, some of them being unable to 

 find their hive by reason of the darkness. Honest 

 workers are not found abroad at that time, and by 

 the way, tbis is a very good test of robbing. In 

 concluding this chapter, I advise again : Know the 

 condition of your stocks at all times. It anj^ have 

 too few bees, contract the entrances in accordance 

 with that number of bees to pass. Preventative is 

 much better than cure in this case. 



