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natural forage becomes scarce — and weak and queen- 
less colonies will usually sufier. When a hive is being 
robbed, an unusual agitation of the bees near the en- 
trance may be noticed ; bees will be seen to run and 
quickly drag others away ; this lighting may increase, 
and many bees be killed, or, if the robbers overpower 
the other bees and enter their hive, a steady stream of 
flying bees can be seen, going from this hive to another 
or elsewhere, and back again. To ascertain to which 
hive the robbers belong, take some flour and sprinkle 
on them as thev pass out and in, then look for the flour- 
backs at the entrance of your other hives. If in the 
movable-comb hive, lift out a frame containing honey, 
shave off the caps, letting some of the honey run, and 
return the comb ; it in the common hive, blow in some 
smoke; this will give them trouble at home, and will 
often effect a cure. Should you fail to find the home 
of the robbers, sprinkle them with cold water at the 
entrance of the hive they are robbing; diminish the 
entrance so that only one bee can enter at a time, thus 
enabling the colony to defend itself ; or lean a board 
against the front of the hive. If the robbers should 
come from a tree in the forest they may be captured as 
directed. The bottom of the Champion hive, being 
inclined, greatly favors the defence of the colony 
against robbers, and when used, but little trouble is ex- 
perienced, as by moving the entrance-regulators to- 
wards the centre, the entrance can instantly be dimin- 
ished to the size required. 
