CHAPTER XVI. 



THE ENEMIES OF BEES. 



Birds — Mice — Moths — Braula Cceca — Hornets and Wasps — Spiders — 

 Toads — " Robber Bees " — ^Prevention of robbing. 



It might well be imagined that creatures armed with 

 such deadly weapons as bees, would have few enemies 

 who would dare to contend with them. The fact is, 

 however, that they are exposed to dangers from 

 numerous sources. Various kinds of wild birds, 

 domestic fowls, mice, certain species of moths, hornets, 

 wasps, ants, spiders and toads, are more or less 

 destructive to them. 



Among the common birds fond of these insects 

 as food, may be mentioned the titmouse tribe.. Mr. 

 Hunter says he has found hundreds of stings of bees 

 adhering to a fence, evidently extracted by these 

 active and clever little birds previous to swallowing 

 their prey. Their depredations, however, are usually 

 not great, and they are often satisfied to regale them- 

 selves on the dead insects which are carried out of 

 the hive. In America, the King-bird {Tyrannus 

 muscicapd) is mentioned by Langstroth as devouring 

 scores of our winged friends, which he does not 

 hesitate to seize on flower-blossoms, showing, indeed. 



