HUNTING BEES 
125 
would not rise instantaneously in the air like a venge¬ 
ful army of demons. I confess we more-than-half 
crouched behind protecting bushes, on the alert for 
danger signals. But nothing terrifying happened! 
In accordance with tradition, the tree dwellers 
seemed stunned by the catastrophe. The jar of the 
falling tree frightened and demoralized them. They 
were excited, racing about or standing still, heads 
down and bodies elevated, fanning vigorously with 
their wings, as if to work off the agitation in that 
way, but they were not aggressive. So little so, that 
soon I discarded my veil, even while the tree was 
being split open near the bees’ entrance hole and the 
combs exposed to view. 
After driving them with puffs of smoke into a 
box, combs were cut out, and the best, most per¬ 
fect ones fitted into frames and put into an empty 
hive near-by. Into the hive were also dumped the 
bees. The process took very much longer than the 
description—as it is a long, sticky job. Still by doing 
it bees, brood, and honey were all saved. 
Early autumn is the preferable season for bee¬ 
hunting; the temperature then is comfortable, most 
of the honey is sealed, and if all has been well, a 
colony of bees has more honey in the autumn than 
in the early summer. The best “wild honey” is 
