18 BEE-KEEPING FOR PROFIT 
too warm, and if he be wise will open the 
entrance a little wider. Should the bees 
continue their ventilating work after that, 
then he may surely know that something is 
wrong and open the hive to investigate. 
The bees do not so work without urgent 
need. It may be that the stores of food are 
fermenting, or that wet has penetrated to the 
combs: mice may have entered the hive, or, 
worst of all, foul brood may be rampant. 
All these would cause bad odours, and the 
bees should be helped as speedily as possible 
to remove the evil. 
The Sting.—This weapon of offence and 
defence is usually the last in the equipment 
of the bee to be used, for its discharge 
generally means loss of life to its owner. To 
the enemy against whom it is launched, it 
becomes a source of irritation and annoyance 
and sometimes of danger. The sting is 
a fine lance, with incisions down one side 
which act as barbs when the flesh is pierced 
by it, sinking the lance deeper at each con- 
vulsion of the stinger or the stung. So soon 
as a barb is fixed it is impossible for the bee 
to withdraw the sting, and in its struggle to 
be free the whole of the stinging organs— 
including the poison sac—are dragged from 
