ROBBINQ. 307 



In order lo prevent colonies from attempting to rob, I al- 

 ways examine them in the Spring, to ascertain that they have 

 honey and are in possession of a fertile queen. If they need 

 food they are supplied with it, (see Chapter on Feeding,) and 

 if they are feeble or queenless, they are managed according 

 to the directions previously given. Bees seem to have an 

 instinctive perception of the weakness of a colony, and 

 like the bee-moth, they are almost certain to attack such 

 stocks, especially when they have no queen. Hence 1 can 

 almost always tell that a colony is queenless, by seeing 

 robbers constantly attempting to force an entrance into it. 



It requires some knowledge of the habits of bees, to tell 

 from their motions, whether they are flying about a strange 

 hive with some evil intent, or whether they belong to the 

 hive before which they are hovering. A little experience 

 however, will soon enable us to discriminate between the 

 honest inhabitants of a hive, and the robbers which so often 

 mingle themselves among the crowd. There is an unmis- 

 takable air of roguery about a thieving bee, which to the 

 observing Apiarian, proclaims the nature of his calling, just 

 as truly as the appearance of a pickpocket in a crowd, 

 enables the experienced police officer to distinguish him 

 from the honest folks, on whom he intends to exercise his 

 skill. 



There is a certain sneaking look about a rogue of a bee, 

 almost indescribable, and yet perfectly obvious. It does 

 not alight on the hive, and boldly enter at once like an 

 honest bee which is carrying home its load. If they could 

 only assume such an appearance of transparent honesty, they 

 would often be allowed by the unsuspecting door-keepers to 

 enter unquestioned, to see all the sights within, and to help 

 themselves to the very fat of the land. But there is a sort 

 of nervous haste, and guilty agitation in all their movements : 



