BOBBING. 213 



marauding propensities in the least. But if such temp- 

 tations are placed before them in times of scarcity, par- 

 ticularly in the spring, serious results may be anticipated. 

 It is worth while to mention here, that if thievish habits 

 are formed early in the season, by careless exposure of 

 even trifling quantities of honey, bees will search for it 

 more perseveringly, during the season, if it prove to be a 

 poor one, than if, by strict care, they had been prevent- 

 ed from acquiring the habit. Therefore, it should be a 

 cardinal rule, for beginners, that honey, or broken up, 

 discarded hives and frames, upon which particles of honey 

 may remain, should not be accessible to the bees, at any 

 time when they could possibly be demoralized thereby. 

 Eobbing is often induced by leaving too large an en- 

 trance open, or other unnecessary apertures, thus allow- 

 ing outsiders too free access. 



Probably but few bee-keepers are able to know at once 

 when bees are robbing. It requires the closest scrutiny 

 to decide. There is nothing about the apiary more diffi- 

 cult to determine ; nothing in which one is more likely 

 to be deceived. It is generally supposed that when a 

 number are fighting outside, it is conclusive that they are 

 also robbing, which is seldom the case. On the contrary, 

 a show of resistance indicates a strong colony, and that 

 they are disposed to defend their treasures. A very weak 

 colony of Italians will often make a spirited resistance. I 

 have no fears for a stock that has courage to repel an at- 

 tack. The greatest danger is with those weak colonies 

 incapable of opposition. Such should at all times be 

 closely watched, and the entrance more than usually con- 

 tracted, that the bees may the more easily defend them- 

 selves. Queenless colonies are much less vigorous in self 

 defence. If there are colonies which have been wintered 

 on their summer stands, or having been set out earlier in 

 the season are thoroughly established, in the same or 

 neighboring apiaries, care should be taken in settmg out 



