474 THB bee-kbeper's guide ; 



easily kept from harm. Usually, the closing of the entrance, 

 so that but a single bee can pass through, is all sufficient. Mr. 

 Jones closes the entrance by use of wet grass, straw, or shav- 

 ings. Mr. Hayhurst places a frame six inches by eighteen 

 inches covered by wire-gauze over the entrance. This keeps 

 the robbers out, and still affords ventilation. 



Another way to secure such colonies against robbing is to 

 move them into the cellar for a few days. This is a further 

 advantage, as less food is eaten, and the strength of the indi- 

 vidual bees is conserved by the quiet, and as there is no nectar 

 in the fields no loss is suffered. Mr. Root recommends "quiet " 

 robbing at such times to cure robbing. He places hives con- 

 taining honey near by, with the entrances so contracted that 

 only one bee can enter at a time. The bees seem to prefer 

 this quiet, unresisted robbing, and cease from the other. This, 

 of course, would be expensive in case other apiaries were near 

 by. It is a good way to get partially filled sections or combs 

 emptied. It works very well in case we give them access to a 

 larger quantity of honey, else robbing may still be kept up. 



In all the work of the apiary at times of no honey-gather- 

 ing, we can not be too careful to keep all honey from the bees 

 unless placed in the hives. The hives, too, should not be kept 

 open long at a time. Neat, quick work should be the watch- 

 word. Mr. Root does necessary work at such times by night, 

 using a lantern. I do not like night work ; the bees crawl 

 about one's clothes, and often reach quite objectionable places. 

 During times when robbers are essaying to practice their 

 nefarious designs, the bees are likely to be more than usually 

 irritable, and likely to resent intrusion ; hence, the impor- 

 tance of more than usual caution, if it is desired to introduce a 

 queen. Working under the bee-tent (Figs. 158 and 166) prevents 

 all danger of inciting the bees to rob. Dr. Miller inserts a 

 funnel-shaped (Fig. 159) bee-escape in the top of the tent. Such 

 a tent might be placed over the colony being robbed. Mr. 

 Doolittle prizes highly a common sheet in the apiary. In case 

 of robbing he covers the entire hive being robbed with this 

 sheet. 



