202 FITTINGS AND APPARATUS. [Ch. iv. 



It consists of a box to affix to the hive entrance, with an 

 opening from the inside, but no means of exit except 

 through perforations which admit only the workers ; the 

 bees are attracted into it by the light, while their proper 

 flight-hole is darkened by a ridge over which they can 

 just make their way into the hive. The drones are thus 

 left in the box to perish. The objections which we have 

 to the trap are — first, that the surmounting of the ridge 

 must surely prove an impediment to the work of the 

 bees ; secondly, that the ridge obstructs ventilation ; and 

 thirdly, that should the queen stray into the trap, she 

 will, unless promptly discovered, soon share the same 

 fate with the drones. But if the trap be applied only 

 for an hour or so at the part of the day when the drones 

 are leaving the hive in the greatest numbers, it may then 

 perhaps sufficiently effect its purpose and be free from 

 any serious drawback. 



§ XX. BEE-FEEDERS. 



It has long been acknowledged that the best mode of 

 feeding bees is through an opening at the top of the 

 stock hive, as bees can thus take the food without coming 

 abroad. Another important feature is the cleanline^ 

 with which liberal feeding can be accomplished ; and few 

 operations require more care than this does. If liquid 

 sweet is left hanging about the hive it tempts robber bees, 

 and when once the bees of an apiary have had a taste, 

 there. is no knowing where their depredations will stop. 



