3768 Insects. 



that described by Mr. Cambridge ; there must be something which 

 these robber bees carry to their own hives from these old combs. I 

 had at one time twenty-six stocks of bees, but never yet discovered 

 the moth mentioned, nor the death's-head moth described by Huber ; 

 the latter is certainly not to be met with in England.* 



I keep my bees as far apart as my garden will permit ; and when I 

 observe the bees of one stock in my garden attacking another, I im- 

 mediately remove the stock that is attacked, or kill the robber bees ; 

 for I am convinced they are like dogs that take to killing sheep, — 

 when they once begin they never give it up. 



It is a great mistake to say that the robber bees are of modern date; 

 the fact is, the increase of numbers in bees has in some measure kept 

 pace with the population, and where a country is much overstocked, 

 a series of wet seasons causes a proportionate increase of corsair bees. 

 The detestable plan also of placing sometimes from twelve to twenty 

 hives in a row, touching one another, is another great cause of confu- 

 sion and plunder. 



Ever since I first kept bees I have considered the plundering as 

 the "besetting sin" of these curious insects, and it is quite plain from 

 the ancient writers that it has existed from time immemorial. 



I know of no remedy but the adoption of the " separate system " as 

 much as possible ; the flight of robbers in the same garden may then 

 be watched by a quick eye. In the year 1848 I removed one poor 

 persecuted stock 400 yards from my garden, but this did not prevent 

 a partial robbery. 



I confess that unless, as I have surmised, the queen died, Mr. Cam- 

 bridge's case is a poser to apiarians, on two accounts : — 1. The large 

 quantity of honey ; and 2. The small number of dead bees near his 

 hive. If the moth had attacked the hive, its ravages would have been 

 seen to commence at the outside of the combs. I now exceedingly 

 regret that I did not visit the gentleman at the Golden Valley, in the 

 parish of St. George, near Bristol, when he wrote to me about the de- 

 sertion I have mentioned. I have no doubt that Mr. Cambridge will 

 have several replies to his communication. 



H. W. Newman. 



New House, near Stroud, 

 January 10, 1853. 



* My correspondent is, I think, in error here: the death's-head moth spoken of by 

 Huber appears to be our Acherontia Atropos, and this certainly occurs in England, 

 although its attacks on our bee-hives are not frequent. — E. N. 



