24 
An elegant and experienced apiarian in the 
North American Review for October, 1828, reputed 
to be Mrs. Mary Griffith, of New Brunswick, 
New Jersey, observes, that “ the average number of 
a hive, or swarm, is from fifteen to twenty thou- 
sand bees. Nineteen thousand four hundred and 
ninety-nine are neuters, or workers, five hundred 
are drones, and the remaining one is the queen, or 
mother.” 
Bees, not unfrequently, rob each other. A 
courageous swarm will sometimes attack and de- 
stroy a neighboring colony, even at a considerable 
distance, and in a single day carry off the whole 
stock of honey to their own hive, compelling the 
subjugated bees to assist in the spoil. And it some- 
times happens, that a swarm deficient in honey 
abandons its hive and seeks shelter in another, to 
relieve its necessities. Weak and feeble hives are 
commonly the objects of attack. Whenever an 
attack is made on a hive, the planes should be so 
nearly closed as not to admit of egress or ingress 
of the bees ; the hive being thus protected, the 
hive belonging to the robbers should be sought, 
which may be easily found by sprinkling a little 
flour upon the robbers about the hive, who will 
soon return to their own hive, bearing marks of 
roguery. Then with a stick mutilate the comb of 
the robbers, by breaking it in different parts of the 
hive. This being done, the robbers will be occu- 
pied in repairing their loss at home ; then open 
the planes of the attacked hive, and suffer the 
prisoners, if any, to return to their own home. 
This done, the attacked hive may be removed a 
few rods from its original standing place, and there 
remain in perfect safety. 
It seems to be a matter of doubt among apiarians, 
