6 Natural History of the Honeybee. 



"joyfully." These bees seldom sting, and are received in a friendly manner, although the 

 normal queen-right colony should react hostilely, if it followed a chemical reflex inca- 

 pable o£ modification. What causes this swarming-out of the queenless colony we shall 

 see further on. 



INTENSIFYING THE REACTION. 



If a colony tolerates robbing without attempting to suppress it, a stimulating food 

 should be given it, such as fermenting buckwheat honey 20 several years old or a mixture 

 of honey and branny, and the hive should be shaken to arouse the anger of the bees,, etc. 

 Then a better defense is made, the irritability of the colony is increased, and robbers are 

 better recognized and repulsed. 



The "courage" and the "attention" of the colony are increased, and therefore we 

 have intensified reactions toward hive strangers. 21 



OVERCOMING THE REACTIONS TOWARD HIVE ODOR. 



It is interesting that this powerful reaction toward hive odor, though generally act- 

 ing hostilely, can be subdued and turned in other directions. Thus bees* which blunder 

 into the wrong hive, as they return from the fields with filled honey-sacs, are seldom 

 attacked. 



The behavior of such "begging" bees is most peculiar. With the abdomen dragging 

 on the flight-board, the proboscis far extended and dealing out the honey to her tor- 

 menters, she is trying to insinuate herself into the hive in order to deposit her honey, 

 and in this she often succeeds. (Here and further on I use anthropomorphic terms for 

 better demonstration. It is understood that many of these actions rest upon reflexes 

 and instincts, but it make's the case clearer to use such terms, as "to insinuate" for ex- 

 ample.) 



The old practice of transposing hives is based on the fact that strange bees, laden 

 with honey, are received in a friendly way. If a weak colony needs improving, it may 

 simply be put in the place of a very strong one, the two hives changing places. This 

 transfer will be successful only on days in which there is a good honey-flow and all flying 

 bees return heavily laden. If the hives have the same outward appearance, and (most 

 important) have their entrances at the same height, almost all bees will fly in as usual. 

 Thus the weak colony will be strengthened from the strong one, and stinging seldom occurs. 



Also, if one wishes to prevent swarming, the flying bees may be drawn off in the 

 same way. I can not at this point go into the many modifications of this practice, and 

 must refer to the manuals of instruction. 



If a strong colony stands next to a weak one during a rich honey-flow, and succeeds 

 in filling its own chamber to overflowing, it happens now and then that the strong colony, 

 having no further room, will help to fill the hive of the weak one yi the most peaceful way. 

 So. we see that of two colonies which should react hostilely toward each other, either one 

 or both may be put under peculiar conditions in order to handle both in the same way with 

 a peaceful reaction between them. For example, if two colonies are sprinkled with some 

 strong-smelling liquid, or powdered with meal, they may be united without risk. 



If bees are stupefied with saltpeter, chloroform, ether, or puff-ball, the same thing 

 can be done with no danger of mutual stinging, but at the same time the earlier orientation 

 is completely lost. When the bees recover from their stupor they no longer recognize their 

 own colony, and can be united to other colonies at will. What conclusions are to be 

 drawn from this capacity for learning, etc., we shall see later on. 



20 Dathe, 1. c, p. 179. 



21 The Luneburger bee-keepers sometimes employ a particular method for putting a stop to robbing. 

 If the honey-flow is strong, so that the powerful odor of honey issues from the hive-entrance, la general 

 robbing occasionally goes on ; but the robbers are hardly noticed by the bees of the hive, apparently the 

 strong odor of honey covering the strange odor of the robbers, or the certain, quiet entrance deceiving the 

 inmates of the robbed colony. In order to call out a stronger reaction, the bee-keepers turn over the 

 skeps so that the wider opening of the skep is turned to the front. One would think that, since the whole 

 honey-comb is now open to the air, robbing could be effected more easily; but this is not the case, for the 

 powerful odor of honey is now easily "dissipated," and the robbers, because of the change in the position 

 of the entrance, are uncertain, and hesitate. Thus the attention of the colony is drawn, to the robbing, the 

 fortification is well protected, and every attack is beaten off (cf. G. Lehzen, Hauptstucke der Luneburger 

 Bienenzucht, 1900, Hannover). 



