138 MONEY IN BEES IN ATJSTEALASIA 



is again raised, the apiarist is served with, a sting in the 

 face. Needless to say this ' ' service ' ' is not appreciated. 



When taliing off honey during a temporary cessation 

 of the flow, great care must be observed that not one bee 

 gets a taste of honey outside of her own hive. Should 

 this happen, she will immediately repair homeward to tell 

 the sisters of her "find." By this time the bee-farmer 

 has moved on to another colony and he will be well 

 advised to keep his eyes on the one last opened. Should 

 a number of bees be observed trying to force their way 

 through any cracks, etc., or even the entrance, he must 

 take steps to stop it. This may easily be accomplished 

 by brushing a little carbolic acid solution about the points 

 attacked. See that the entrance is contracted somewhat, 

 and that the covers are tight. 



HOW TO HELP A ROBBED COLONY. 

 If the robbers appear too strong for a colony, and 

 likely to overcome it, dust some flour over the robbers 

 and then trace them home. Transpose the hives, place 

 the "robber-hive" on the stand of the robbed and note 

 the discomfiture of the "rascals" on returning to rob 

 their own kindred. However, practical apiarists recog- 

 nise that "prevention is better than cure" and there is 

 always plenty of other work awaiting attention, so that 

 nothing is gained by working bees when circumstances 

 are unfavourable. 



ROBBER TENT. 

 Queen breeders often have work to attend to that 

 admits of no delay, so they have a light wire cloth ' ' tent ' ' 

 made large enough to stand over a hive and leave room 

 for the operator to work inside. Of course, robbing 

 makes all bee work more troublesome, but when abso- 

 lutely necessary, work may be made more agreeable by 

 providing a supply of sugar syrup for the bees to work 

 on. It should be so regulated, that the bees obtain it no 

 quicker than they would a natural flow and do not have 

 the syrup within 500 yards of the apiary. 



