THE ENEMIES OF BEES. 145 



has been effective. Terrible mischief is often the 

 result j for, not only is the habit of ordinary nectar- 

 seeking broken off, but fierce battles are fought with 

 strong~stpcks, and many hundreds of the combatants 

 perish. Moreover, the ordinary avocations of an 

 assailed colony are completely interrupted, and general' 

 disturbance, if not complete disorganisation, prevails. 



Such a disastrous state of things is sorpetimes 

 begun by carelessness on the part of the bee-keeper, 

 in allowing pieces of honeycomb to lie about within 

 reach of any of his stocks. The taste of the sweet 

 liquid, for which they have a perfect passion, seems 

 to act like a glass of gin on an abstainer who has 

 formerly been a drunkard. Their thirst for more is 

 fired, and, once enkindled, will not easily subside. It 

 is particularly necessary, therefore, especially in the 

 late summer and the autumn, when supplies from 

 flowers begin to fall short, to take care not to provoke 

 the lust of having honey at all hazards, by allowing 

 any to be exposed to the smelling or other perceptive 

 powers of the bees. It is equally important in feeding 

 stocks to prevent any exposure of the syrup, and not 

 to permit stranger-bees to get at the feeding-bottles. 



If the mischief of robbing is detected in its early 

 stage, much may be done to stop it by narrowing 

 the hive entrances, so that only one bee at a time 

 can get in. This will enable the sentinels to examine 

 each one who tries to enter, and to turn back 

 strangers. If, however, the evil has taken a serious 

 hold, it is better to close the attacked hive altogether ^ 

 for a time, and to hang near the entrance a sponge 

 or cloth soaked in diluted carbolic acid, or some 

 liquid potent and disagreeable in its odour. If the^ 



L 



