314 EOBBIM^G, 



weak swarms, as in the confusion incident to the first 

 flight they are in less defensible condition, and much 

 more likely to attract pillagers than they will be later in 

 the season. Let it be understood that all good stocks, 

 under ordinary circumstances, will take care of them- 

 selves. Nature has provided them with the means of 

 defence, with instinct to direct its use. 



INDICATIONS OF BOBBING. 



In order to recognize the first indications of robbing at 

 a glance, it will be necessary for the bee-keeper to be able 

 to distinguish between old and young bees, and between 

 those that are filled with honey and those that are not. 

 Each robber, when leaving the hive, instead of flying in 

 a direct line to its home, will turn its head towards the 

 hive to mark the spot, that it may return for another 

 load, in the same manner that bees do when leaving their 

 own hive for the first time in the spring. When the 

 young bees first leave home, they mark their location in 

 the same manner. A few of these begin to hatch very 

 early, in all good stocks, often before the weather is warm 

 enough for any to leave the hive. These young bees will 

 fly out very thickly about the middle of each fair day, or 

 a little later. This unusual activity strongly resembles 

 the bustle of robbers, and it is difficult to detect the dif- 

 ference. Their motions are alike, but there is a little 

 difference in color, the young bees being a shade lighter ; 

 and the bodies of the robbers, when filled with honey, are 

 a little larger. But while one is learning these nice dis- 

 tinctions, his bees may be ruined. Bees, when they 

 have been stealing honey from a neighboring hive, will 

 generally run several inches from the entrance before fly- 

 ing ; kill some of these ; if filled with honey, they are 

 robbers ; for it is very suspicious to be filled with honey 

 when leaving the hive ; or, if there are hut few colonies, 



