Mysteries of Bee-keeping ExplainedQuinby, M. (Moses)
Science
Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained
Quinby, M. (Moses)
Bees
Bees, when they have been stealing a sack of honey from a neighboring
hive, will generally run several inches from the entrance before
flying: kill some of these; if filled with honey, they are robbers;
because it is very suspicious, to be filled with honey when leaving the
hive; or sprinkle some flour on them as they come out, and have some
one watch by the others to see if they enter. Another way is less
trouble, but will take longer, before they are checked, if robbing.
Visit them again in the course of half an hour or more, after the young
bees have had time to get back, (if it should happen to be them); but
if the bustle continues or increases, it is time to interfere. When the
entrance has been contracted as directed, close it entirely till near
sunset. When it has been left without, it should now be done, (giving
room for only one bee at a time). This will allow all that belong to
the hive to get in, and others to get out, and materially retard the
progress of the robbers.
ROBBING USUALLY COMMENCES ON A WARM DAY.
Unless it should be cool, they will continue their operations till
evening. Very often some are unable to get home in the dark, and are
lost. This, by the way, is another good test of robbing. Visit the
hives every warm evening. They _commence_ depredations on the warmest
days; seldom otherwise. If any are at work when honest laborers should
be at home, they need attention.
REMEDIES.
As for remedies, I have tried several. The least trouble is to remove
the weak hive in the morning to the cellar, or some dark, cool place,
for a few days, until at least two or three warm days have passed, that
they may abandon the search. The robbers will then probably attack the
stock on the next stand. Contract the entrance of this in accordance
with the number of bees that are to pass. If strong, no danger need be
apprehended; they may fight, and even kill some; perhaps a little
chastisement is necessary, to a sense of their duty.
COMMON OPINION.
There is an opinion prevalent that robbers often go to a neighboring
stock, kill off the bees first, and then take possession of the
treasures. To corroborate this matter, I have never yet discovered one
fact, although I have watched very closely. Whenever bees have had all
their stores taken, at a period when nothing was to be had in the
flowers, it is evident they must starve, and last but a day or two
before they are gone. This would naturally give rise to the supposition
that they were either killed, or gone with the robbers.
A CASE IN POINT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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