272 Of the various Enemies of Bees, 
feen hens pick up bees ; but they very feldom 
hurt them much. Birds, in general, howe- 
ver, ought to be guarded againft by all poffi- 
ble means. A {care-crow placed near a hive 
will fometimes frighten away the wild birds. 
SprpErs likewife deftroy fome bees by catch- 
ing them in their nets and fucking their blood ; 
though a ftrong bee will fometimes break 
through the flimfy texture, and efcape. No- 
thing is eafier than to protect them from this 
enemy, by deftroying the cob-webs as foon as 
they appear about the hives, ‘or their ftools or | 
covers. 
Karwics are alfo formidable enemies to 
bees ; and Mr Keys fays, that “they fteal into 
** the hive at night and drag out bee after bee, 
“ fucking out their vitals, and leaving nothing 
“ but their fkins, like fo many {calps or trophies 
“of their butchery.” They breed between 
the flirts of the hive and the ftool, where their 
nefts ought to be fearched for and deltroy- 
sa ae 
“ Ants, (fays Mr WitpMan,) fometimes 
* make their nefts between the hive and the 
“ covering, without molefting the bees or be- 
“ ing molefted.” Although, for my own part, 
Twas never fenfible of my bees receiving any 
injury 
