CHAPTER VII. 



Some Difficulties, and How to Overcome Them. — Robber- 

 bees. — Enemies op Bees: Wax Moth, Mice, etc. — 

 Diseases of Bees. — How to Deal with Accidents 



ARISING FROM BeES. 



There are difficulties, and sometimes losses, con- 

 nected with bee-keeping as with any live stock, but 

 they are not insurmountable. When honey begins 

 to get scarce, and the bees have turned out the 

 drones, they sometimes engage in another pastime, 

 i.e. robbing. And fearful robbers bees are when 

 once they begin. Sometimes a whole apiary has 

 been destroyed, or nearly so, in a very short space of 

 time. The evil sometimes arises through a drop or 

 two of syrup being spilt about when feeding. The 

 bees will fight for their lives for this syrup, and are 

 then like tigers who have tasted some warm blood. 

 They want some more, and will then begin to enter 

 each other's hives for it. Once this is fairly 

 commenced it is most difficult to stop. The 

 strongest hives and those which have the most honey, 

 will go to the weakest and rob. The first considera- 



