ENENIIES OF BEES. 23^ 



Suppose the bees are so reduced as to leave the combs un- 

 protected, and the ants enter and appropriate some of the 

 honey. The owner comes along just then, and sees them 

 engaged : " Ha, you are the rascals who have destroyed 

 my bees," he exclaims, without a thought of looking for 

 (Causes beyond present appearances. They are often un- 

 justly accused by the former, of injuring his little trees, 

 hy causing the tender leaves to curl and wither. Inquiries 

 are often made in agricultural papers for means of destroy- 

 ing them, when the real cause of the mischief is the Aphi- 

 des, that are upon the leaves and stalks in hundreds, 

 robbing them of their important juices, and secreting a 

 fluid highly prized by the ants. 



The habits of the small black ants give rise to suspicion 

 of mischief. They live in communities of thousands, having 

 their nests in old walls, old timber, or in the earth. From 

 these nests a string of ants may be sometimes traced for 

 rods, going after, and returning with food. During wet 

 weather, such as would make the earth, and many other 

 places too damp and cold for a nest,, they look out for bet- 

 ter quarters. The top or chamber of our bee-hives affords 

 a desirable shelter. The animal heat from the bees renders 

 it perfectly comfortable. How can we blame them for 

 choosing a location so completely supplying all their wants? 

 But the careless observer discovering their train to and 

 fro, from their nest on the hive, exclaims : " Why, I have 

 seen them going in a continual stream to the hive after 

 honey ;" when a little scrutiny would show that the nest 

 was on the top of the hive, and they were going elsewhere 

 for food, not one to be seen entering the hive among th^ 

 bees for honey. When honey is unprotected by bees, and 

 left where they can have access, they will naturally can-y 

 off some, but it may be easily secured. 



