206 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



But if it has been kept closed until a time when icibbers are 

 troublesome, and then opened, whether it be that the robbers 

 are stirred up by seeing the chaiioe, or whether the bees of the 

 colony are not in the habit of protecting themselves in that 

 quarter, the robbers are pretty sure to give the new entrance 

 especial attention ; and if the colony be not very strong there 

 may be serious trouble. 



STARTI^'G ROBBING BY FEEDING. 



As feeding is done only in a time of scarcity, it is one of 

 the most common causes of robbing among careless beekeepers. 

 When general feeding is done with Miller feeders, there is little 

 danger, no matter what time of day the work is done; but if 

 some weak colony is short of stores, I try to be somewhat care- 

 ful to do nothing to attract especial attention to it. I have 

 sometimes fed at night, and so far as convenient prefer to feed 

 late in the day, but convenience does not always allow it. 



One time I found a colony at the close of the honey harvest, 

 by some means about at the point of starvation. With more 

 carelessness than was excusable, I ga\-e them, I think in the 

 forenoon, two or three combs filled with sugar syrup. Some 

 time after, I happened to look toward that end of the apiary, 

 and saw what looked like a swarm. The bees had become excited 

 over their new-found stores; the robber-bees had joined in, and 

 the bees of the colony seemed to think forage was so plentiful 

 that it wasn't worth while to be mean about it, there was enough 

 for all ; so the robbers were doing a land-offlce business without 

 let or hindrance. 



STOPPING HOBBING WITH WET HAY. 



I closed the entrances of the other hives in the immediate 

 neighborhood, so that only two or three bees could pass at a 

 time, and then threw a lot of loose wet hay at the entrance of 

 the besieged hive. 



Not only did I put hay at the entrance, but piled it up all 

 around to the top of the hive. For some time I kept every 

 thing very wet all around the hive by pouring on pails of water, 

 and then left them till next day. 



