FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 219 



lower entrance, and it was so far from top to bottom that the 

 robbers made no attempt below — ^indeed I suppose they would 

 have been promptly repulsed if they had — so after trying for 

 a time to get in the place I had closed, they gave up and left 

 the hive. 



PLAYING BEES AND ROBBBES. 



I think I can tell by carefully looking at bees when flying 

 with unusual commotion at the entrance of a hive whether it is 

 a case of robbing or bees at play, but I am not sure I could tell 

 some one else the difference in appearance. Looking at bees at 

 play in Fig. 82, and comparing with Pig. 81, there appears lit- 

 tle difference. In actual life there will be seen the same ex- 

 cited eagerness in each case. 



The time of day helps to decide. During the middle of the 

 day, say from noon till the middle of the afternoon, playing is 

 common ; earlier or later than that time, if there is big excite- 

 ment at the entrance of a "weak colony, the likelihood is that 

 robbing is going on. 



SIGNS OP BOBBING. 



One pretty sure sign of robbing, when there is a good deal 

 of stir at 'the entrance, is to see bees working frantically to 

 force an entrance under the cover or at some other part of the 

 hive. Just why they should do this at times when th«y seem to 

 have plenty of chance to get in at the regular entrance I do 

 not know. It seems to be a way they have. 



A. sure sign of robbing is to find the bees entering the 

 hive with empty sacs and coming out with their sacs full. The 

 contents of the sac can be told by killing the bee, pulling it in 

 two and squeezing out the contents of the sac. Indeed, the 

 squeezing is hardly needed. 



BEES STICK TO SAME ENTRANCE. 



A glance at the hive shown in Pig. 81 would show that it 

 is a case of robbing, for the flying is at an opening never used 

 for an entrance. It is a somewhat curious fact that bees are 

 very persistent in continuing to use the same place for an en- 

 trance. 



