CAUSES OF PILLAGE. 3] 3 



not been able to collect a sufficiency of provisions, consider 

 themselves entitled to rob their neighbours of their super- 

 fluous store. It sometimes, indeed, happens, that the bees, 

 who inhabit the most populous and well provisioned hives, 

 betake themselves to the predatory system, and desolate those 

 which are in a weaker condition. 



The chief cause which excites bees to pillage, is a natural 

 greediness and an over-anxious desire of collecting provi- 

 sions for the purpose of enriching their own domicile. The 

 bee in its nature is a most insatiable insect; not exactly in 

 regard to the satisfaction of its appetite, but to the amassing 

 of those provisions, which are to protect it from want during 

 the winter ; and this accounts for the best provisioned hives 

 carrying on the system of pillage to its greatest extent ; for, 

 being conscious of their own strength, they know that they 

 have nothing to fear from the attack of others ; and it may 

 be said, that it is only the weak hives, which suffer from the 

 pillage of their own race. Actual want and necessity may, 

 however, sometimes be taken into the account ; for it is no 

 unusual case, that the best peopled hives are precisely those, 

 which are the most in want of provisions, and therefore they 

 fall upon the weaker societies, which, from the paucity of 

 their numbers, are better provided with food. 



There is, however, another source of this evil, and which 

 is very prone to happen in the common straw hives. This 

 arises from the moths and other insects, which penetrate 

 into the hive and there multiply, devouring and spoiling 

 all the works of the hive to such an extent, that the bees, 

 judging it most advisable to leave their domicile, defend it 

 but weakly, and then leave it as a prey to the first comers. 

 Afterwards these wandering and vagabond bees seek in 

 their turn to live at the expense of others ; if they be very 

 numerous, they besiege another hive, driving out the lawful 

 proprietors of it, and ravaging their provisions without 

 mercy. Those, which have been driven from their dwelling 



