136 MONEY IN BEES TN AUSTRALASIA 



where the honey flow is heavy for a month or six weeks 

 (viz., when some of the "Box" trees are in bloom and 

 yielding well) and is then suddenly cut off, the bees will 

 require most careful handling, or the whole yard will be 

 in an uproar in a few minutes. 



DANGER FROM ROBBING. 



There is a golden rule, never leave honey or sugar 

 syrup, or in fact anything that bees will rob, exposed 

 about the apiary. It not only induces- robbing, but if 

 disease is present the risk of spreading it to other hives 

 is intensified. When once the bees obtain a taste of "ill- 

 gotten goods " it is a matter of great difficulty to get them 

 quiet again. Should the honey-house door, for instance, 

 be left open and the bees gain admittance to the honey 

 tank, an open tin of honey, or even "wet" extracting 

 combs the merest tyro will soon notice something out of 

 the ordinary. The shrill high note of bees on the rampage 

 will first call his attention to the spoilers, who will be 

 noticed flying in "clouds" about the honey -house. Should 

 the careless proprietor then attempt to close the honey- 

 house door, he will very probably receive a sting or two 

 for his interference. (Bees are much more inclined to 

 sting when on a robbing expedition. ) The first action on 

 his part will be to close the honey-house door; this is not 

 to be recommended. Far better, go inside and cut off the 

 supply: see that all tanks, super-bodies, and tins are 

 closed absolutely bee-proof. A piece of paper or cheese 

 cloth "stuffed" into a hole is not sufficient, robber bees 

 will persistently tease paper and cheese cloth until an 

 entrance is again effected. Another point to remember: 

 robber-bees confined with wire cloth screen, will pass out 

 the ' ' stolen goods ' ' — per medium of the tongue — to their 

 free confederates, so that robbing still continues. 



When quite sure that all honey, or other sweets, is 

 safe, leave the honey-house door open until every bee is 

 satisfied that there is nothing to gain by going in. It 

 takes a day for them to realise this, so that when darkness 



