HOW TO STOP ROBBING. 363 



they are accustomed to bring their honey ; and they defend 

 it with as much energy as they used in attacking it before. 

 See Quinby's " Mysteries of Bee-Keeping" N. Y.. 1866. 



670. We read in the British Bee-Journal that a car- 

 bolized sheet (384) can be used to stop robbing, if spread 

 in front of the robbed liive. This same sheet, spread on 

 the hive as soon as opened while extracting (749), and on 

 the surplus box where the combs are placed (768), dis- 

 pleases the robbers and protects the comb, 



671. There is a kind of pillage which is carried on so 

 secretly as often to escape all notice. The bees engaged 

 in it do not enter in large numbers, no fighting is visible, 

 and the labors of the hive appear to be progressing with 

 their usual quietness. All the while, however, strange bees 

 are carrying off the honey as fast as it is gathered. After 

 watching such a colony for some days, it occurred to us 

 one evening, as it had an unhatched queen, to give it a 

 fertile one. On the next morning, rising before the rogues 

 were up, we had the pleasure of seeing them meet with 

 such a warm reception, that they were glad to make a 

 speedy retreat. 



This is another proof that discouragement caused by 

 queenlessness often leads to the loss of a colony. 



PREVENTIOK. 



672. If the Apiarist would guard his bees against dis- 

 honest courses, he must be exceedingly careful, in his various 

 operations, not to leave any combs or any honey where bees 

 can find them, for, after once getting a taste of stolen honey, 

 they will hover around him as soon as they see him operating 

 on a hive, all ready to pounce upoji it and svMch whot they 

 can of its exposed treasures, 



