Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-01-25
THE HONEY BEE.-LEcrunE OF Dn. NORRIS.

The and habits Of the Honey Bee exceeding
made the subject Of much patient investigation. Dr.. Nor
ss Lecture at the Smithsonian Institution the evening
of the goth instant this subject was in the MAN, truthful
and valuable Some Of his statements Of small practical
sequence may not be exactly accurate and few items
mentioned may be useful to the cntivator Of bees
The Doctor says, Wherever the shines and flowers
bloom the bee has home" If we say finds home, The
assertion is truthful In America bees go with Eu-
ropean settlements sometimes considerably in advance.
think they have not yet crossed the Rocky Mountains The
old queen stngs the young queen to DEATH It is doubled
whether in the queen bee the sting ssucieny developed for
weapon Of offence defence. Certain it is that
she may handled without the least apprehension of being
sung by her.
The lecturer further remarked that when the old queen per-
ceives the young queens coming out of their cels she
commences killing them and when prevented by the workers
she uttered clear sh sound" Is it the old queen that
utters that sound 1t heard previous the egress
of the first swarms and invariably forees subsequent
ngs The sound is first made by the young queen whIe yet
enveoped in her CELL and again after she emerges BY this
sound the observant aparan without mistake will know the
day when any hive will send out colony, if the weather
admit. ..
I" Bees (says the lecurer) vilanous thieves. They
enter hlve an0 steal away the Money bees never
complimentary friendly visits. bee never lights upon
the platform of hive not its with honest intentions
The careful observer will instantly detect stranger bee II
is well known enemy by the guard at the
the hive for guard day and night is stationed there of
sufficient force repel ntruders and will certainly do il if
this in size is properly adjusted to the of the
community. Attention this subject will prevent robberes
among bees. .5 ..e. .a'. .+.e.' ". ....
Where however, the entrance is Of unnecessary and
unreasonable size enemies will effect in spite of
the guard Then Of determination subugation en-
sides are rapid and many bees slain The battle is soon
determined, nearly always in favor Of the assalants The
strong likely to attack the weak. The vanqushed
party then unites with the conqueror assist carry away
their honey, and 60 with it, Such is the war of bees
The following is the best way manage robbng bees Close
the door Of the hive FIVE minutes in this time the robbe
will have obtained their loads and will be pressing to the
door, Open it, and let them out and the hive
is emped of these inuders, close again nearly that
but single bee pass at time. With small space
the robbers will give over after which open gradually
When robbers thus suddenly checked they often attack
an adjacent hive with rush which the guard cannot resist
This should be looked to, and it will be prudent the time
closing the entrance the hive first attacked greatly
near, until this danger is past.
These directions given the presumption that the
hive is ventilated, every hive should be. Without ven
aon in hot day. FIVE minutes exclusion Of the amosphe-
air may be dangerous fatal In this caution must
be used but upon the principle the intelligent aparian
can still succeed. c. E.