13 
ANYONE WHO DESIRES TO DO SO CAN LEARN TO MANIPULATE 
BEES. 
Any person with fairly steady nervesand some patience and courage 
can easily learn to control and munipulate bees. There are, it is true, 
a few exceptional individuals whose systems are particularly suscepti- 
ble to the poison injected by the bee, so much so that serious effects 
follow a single sting. Such cases are, however, very rare. In most 
instances where care is not taken to avoid all stings the system even- 
tually becomes accustomed to the poison, so that beyond momentary 
pain a sting causes no inconvenience. 
To a certain extent the belief exists that bees have, without apparent 
cause, a violent dislike for some people, while others, without any effort, 
are received into their favor. The latter part of this proposition has 
a better foundation than the first part, for it is the actions, rather than 
any peculiarity of the individual himself, that anger the bees. 
Bees prefer, of course, not to be disturbed; hence they usually keep 
guards on the lookout forintruders. When visitors approach the hives 
these guards are very apt to fly toward them as if to inquire whether 
harm is intended or not, and should the visitor not inspire them with 
fear by using smoke or some similar means, but should himself show 
fear and nervousness, he will be very likely to arouse their suspicions 
still further, or even to anger them should he strike at them or endeavor 
to dodge their approach. Indeed, one not accustomed to the notes of 
bees is very likely, unconsciously, to dodge his head about when a 
worker buzzes uncomfortably close to his face. It may be a movement 
of but an inch or two, but perhaps a quick jerk, and being noticed by 
the suspicious guard is resented; a sting follows, and yet the recipient 
declares that he did nothing to cause the attack, but that bees merely 
hate him and always sting him when he approaches them. On the 
other hand, an equally unprotected person who moves about with 
deliberation may generally, under the same circumstances, be let off 
without receiving a sting. It is in this case not so much what he does 
as what he does not do. 
It is not to be understood that bees will always refrain from stinging 
if one remains somewhat passive in the vicinity of their hives, for the 
fact is that at some seasons common black bees and crosses having 
blood of this race fly some distance to attack passers-by, or even, with- 
out just provocation and with but slight warning, to plant a sting in 
the face of one who is standing near theapiary. But as the avoidance 
of such unpleasant occurrences depends largely upon the kind of bees 
kept, and, to a certain extent, upon an acquaintance with a few facts 
with which anyone of intelligence may easily familiarize himself, and 
the observance of certain precautions which are quite simple and after 
59 
