218 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



pile having a strong eolony; but after the weather becomes 

 quite cool toward fall, the case is different. Of course, all but 

 the lower entrance should be closed before cold nights come, 

 but sometimes there is a case of neglect. In a cold night the 

 colony shrinks down into the loAver or the lower two stories — 

 all the more because there is a current of air right through the 

 hive — and the two or three upper stories are left without any 

 liees. 



Fig. 74 — Wheeling Load of Supers. 



In the following morning they do not go up again into the 

 upper stories till some time after the day has warmed up. The 

 robbers, however, do not wait so long, but finding an upper 

 entrance unprotected go to work in lively style. 



As late as October 6, in the year 1902, a pile was left with 

 an upper entrance or ventilating space still open, and on the 

 lorenoon of that day I observed lively work at that place, 

 while all was quiet at the lower or regular entrance. I shoved 

 the cover back so as to close the space, and then took a snap- 

 shot of the bees trying to get in, as shown in Kg 81. Only two 

 stories show in the picture, although the pile was four stories 

 high. Fortunately no other place was open except the regular 



