A Case In Point
Categories:
ROBBERIES.
Bee Keeping:
Mysteries Of Bee-keeping Explained
I have a case in point. Having been from home a couple of days, I
found, on my return, a swarm of medium strength, that had been
carelessly exposed, had been plundered of about fifteen pounds of
honey, every particle they had.[13] About the usual number of bees were
among the combs, to all appearance, very disconsolate. I at once
removed them to the cellar, and fed them for a few days. The other bees
gave over looking
or more plunder, in the meantime. It was then
returned to the stand, entrance nearly closed, as directed, &c. In a
short time it made a valuable stock; but had I left it twenty-four
hours longer, it probably would not have been worth a straw.
[13] It occurred the last of July.
FURTHER DIRECTIONS.
When a stock has been removed, if the next stand contains a weak,
instead of a strong one, it is best to take that in also; to be
returned to the stand as soon as the robbers will allow it. If a second
attack is made, put them in again, or if practicable, remove them a
mile or two out of their knowledge of country; they would then lose no
time from labor. Where but few stocks are kept, and not more than one
or two stocks are engaged, sprinkle a little flour on them as they
leave, to ascertain which the robbers are; then reverse the hives,
putting the weak one in the place of the strong, and the strong one in
the place of the weak one. The weak stock will generally become the
strongest, and put a stop to their operations; but this method is often
impracticable in a large apiary; because several stocks are usually
engaged, very soon after one commences, and a dozen may be robbing one.
Another method is, when you are _sure_ a stock is being robbed, take a
time when there are as many plunderers inside as you can get, and close
the hive at once, (wire-cloth, or something to admit air, and at the
same time confine the bees, is necessary;) carry in, as before
directed, for two or three days, when they may be set out. The strange
bees thus enclosed will join the weak family, and will be as eager to
defend what is now _their_ treasure, as they were before to carry it
off. This principle of forgetting home and uniting with others, after a
lapse of a few days, (writers say, twenty-four hours is sufficient for
them to forget home) can be recommended in this case. It succeeds about
four times in five, when a proper number is enclosed. Weak stocks are
strengthened in this way very easily; and the bees being taken from a
number of hives, are hardly missed. The difficulty is, to know when
there are enough to be about equal, to what belongs to the weak stock;
if too few are enclosed, they are surely destroyed.