ANGER OF BEES 
47 
animated creation, when they are under¬ 
stood. Their beautiful comb can be torn 
all to bits right before their very eyes, 
without their showing a particle of re¬ 
sentment; and with all the patience in the 
world they will at once set to work to re¬ 
pair it and that, too, without remon¬ 
strance. If they are pinched they will 
sting; and a human being who has energy 
enough to take care of himself would do 
as much had he the weapon. 
How to open hives in such a way as to 
avoid stings, see Manipulation of Colo¬ 
nies, and Stings. 
In order that the reader may better un¬ 
derstand that which follows, it may be well 
to set forth two or three fundamental con¬ 
ditions under which bees become cross or 
nervous and unpleasant to handle. First, a 
slackening or a shutting-off of the supply 
of food obtained either from the fields in a 
natural way, or from exposed sweets, al¬ 
ways has a tendency to make bees ill-na¬ 
tured. If the honey flow is unusually 
strong, and then slackens up very rapidly, 
the bees in the whole yard become cross. 
This is particularly noticeable at the clos¬ 
ing of basswood or after the drying up of 
certain honeydews deposited on the leaves 
of trees. When the bees are robbing, and 
combs or syrup are carelessly exposed, and 
these combs or syrup are suddenly put un¬ 
der cover, so that not another drop can be 
secured, bees will usually sting furiously, 
when, if their supply were allowed to stand 
and gradually diminish, they will be much 
better natured. 
If some one carelessly exposes sweets in 
quantities during a dearth of honey when 
bees are disposed to rob, this will have a 
tendency to stir up the whole apiary. 
The roar of the excitement may be heard 
some distance from the apiary. Thousands 
and thousands of bees will be found flying 
around everywhere to discover where this 
new supply is located; but, as a general 
thing, bees are not cross when trying to 
find the source of the sweet. The real 
trouble begins about the time the supply 
gives out. 
During the middle hours of the day when 
the ah' is warm and bakny and the bees 
are going into the fields, they are generally 
very gentle. But if a sudden rainstorm 
comes up, shutting off the supply of nec¬ 
tar, they will usually be quite cross, and 
this bad temper will last until the normal 
supply begins to come in again. 
Bees are apt to be cross on cool or chilly 
days. When all are at home, and the hives 
are opened unceremoniously, they may re¬ 
sent the intrusion. It is then that beginners 
discover, much to their sorrow, that bees 
should not be handled during cool or chilly 
weather, right after a rain, nor at night. 
By keeping these facts carefully in mind, 
when the following incidents are related, 
one will more readily discover why bees are 
cross; 
A few years ago a very intelligent man 
procured some Italians, an extractor, etc., 
and commenced bee culture. He soon 
learned to handle them, and succeeded 
finely; when it came time to extract, the 
whole business went on so easily that he 
was surprised at what had been said about 
experienced hands being needed to do the 
work. He had been in the habit of doing 
his work as directed, toward the middle of 
the day, while the great mass of bees were 
in the fields; but in the midst of a heavy 
yield of clover honey, when the hives were 
full to overflowing, they were one day 
stopped by a heavy thundershower. This, 
of course, drove the bees home, and at the 
same tin e washed the honey out of the 
blossoms so completely that they had noth¬ 
ing to do but remain in the hives until more 
was secreted. Not so with their energetic 
and enthusiastic owner. As ■ soon as the 
rain had ceased, the hives were again 
opened, and an attempt made to take out 
the frames, as but a few horn's before; but 
the bees that were all gentleness then, 
seemed now possessed of the very spirit 
of mischief; and when all the operators 
had been severely stung, they concluded 
that prudence was the better part of valor 
and stopped operations for the day. While 
loads of honey were coming in all the 
while, and every bee rejoicing, none was 
disposed to be cross; but after the shower, 
the bees were standing around idle; and 
when a hive was opened, each was ready 
to take a grab from its neighbor, and the 
result was a free fight in a very short 
time. 
There is nothing in the world that will 
induce bees to sting with such wicked reck¬ 
lessness as to have them get to quarreling 
