ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 193 



as soon as I remove their frames from the hive. It la not 

 merely the sudden admission of light, but its introduction 

 iirom an unexpected quarter, that for the time disarms (he 

 hosiility of the bees. They appear for a few moments 

 almost as much confounded as we should be, if, without any 

 warning, the roof and ceiling of our house should suddenly 

 fly off into the air. Before they recover from their amaze- 

 ment, the sweet libation is poured out upon them, and sur- 

 prise is 'quickly converted into pleasure rather than anger; 

 or they are saluted with a puff of smoke, which, by alarm- 

 ing them for the safety of their treasures, induces them to 

 snatch whatever they can. In the working season, almost 

 all the bees near the lop are gorged with honey, and this is 

 another reason why opening the hive from aiove is so easily 

 effected. The bees below that are disposed to resent any 

 intrusions, are met in their threatening ascent with an ava- 

 lanche of nectar, which, like " a soft answer," most effectu- 

 ally " turneth away wrath ;" or if the case requires, by a 

 harmless smoke, which excites their fears, but leaves no 

 unpleasant smell behind. No genuine lover of bees ought 

 ever to use the sickening fumes of the disgusting weed. 



In managing bees, the greatest care should be taken to 

 repress at once, by the sweetened water or smoke, the very 

 first manifestations of anger. Bees communicate their sen- 

 sations to each other with almost magic celerity, and in a 

 moment the whole colony will catch the pleased or subdued 

 notes uttered by a few, or will be roused to fury by the 

 shrill note of anger from even a single bee. When once 

 thoroughly excited, it will be found almost impossible to 

 subdue them, and the unfortunate experimenter, if inexpe- 

 rienced, may be inclined to abandon the attempt in despair. 

 That bees are not prepared to make an instant assault from 

 the top of their hive, but only near the entrance, may be 

 17 



