The weekly union record., 1864-03-12
Formidable Attack by Bees.

Huber Revan. ard other HctuyaliSts who
have studied the extraordinary habits aud IN
siisct az bees. have not vel succeeded IN dis
covering the various clvcnmst tauces which lead
ihose Instincts 10 stack g more hoS'.e spiFIl.
How fArveveuge or rotal;2tia for Inquiries re-
ceived. Influence them, !S but impeFieety
known There is proof that, when the queen
bee dies agd the hive IS thrown into confusion
ard agitation; aud Il has been supposed by
E1a8y persons that the Insects. u such time,
would seek TO attack any one who may have
been concerned In the death Of the great moth
er. This whether right or wrong, was the
suggested explanation Of an extraordinary at
tack by bees. 10 Prussia, in 1870. As mar
rated in the Berli.er Zeijaug, the incident was
as follows
o. tie 20,h ofJaly. N. Euler;. merchant
q Bl7lin. was travelling with his wife from
Wii.ouburg 10 thai city; they were IN phi
vate carriage aua coachman was driving.
While Qassi- along the high road, between
kroppsladt and Schmogr'sdorf, the eoachman
observed the horses 20 rub uueas'ly aeaiost
each other, as il siung by horSehg sui
deuly swarm Of bees appeared, or collection
Of swarns. numerous beyond all reckoning.
They covered the carriage. horses, travellers,
and coachmau, but more especially the hvlns
beings They attacked the mouth, nose, eyes
and ears Of each horse. until the poor animals.
quite overcome lay down unresisling. The
coachman lost lis hat while endeaYorlng to
aid the horses. and the bees then fastened
nnon his bead with such avjdity that his poor
skull Became covered with a matted mass OF
bees. hair and blood; he threw himself on
the ground in desperation, ana became for a
time insensible. Madame Eulert, as soon as
the attack began. covered her face with her
hood. get out Of The carriage, fastened to a
neighbo.ing field; and threw herself, face down
wards on the grass
VI. Eulert then ahgh,ed aud shouted for help
but while his mouth was open some OF the
bees entered il and increased his troubles. tie
then covered his face and neck with hand
kerehief, and ran to place where he saw three
peasants looking on; but they were too much
alarmed 10 help him. and 50 he ran on further.
lie then me, a voodman a carrier with cart
and three horses and some lahoreFs. After
much eutreaty the carrier agreed to put his
horses into ueghborug stable and to accom-
panv Mr.. Eulert, as did The others, all carry
ing dry hay and straw to burn Arrived at
the spot, they fouud Madame Eulert still lying
face downward on the grass, very little injured
The poor coachman was lying nearly insensi-
be and fer forty eight hours his case was pre-
carious. After burning much hay and straw
to drive away the bees, Nj. Eulert aud his he'll
pcrS were able to examine the suffering horses.
Uae was so maddened by he singing 1t had
received that it died The same day; The other
was taken TO Schmogelsd1gf and placed under
the care Of Il veterinary surgeon, bat the poor
animal died on the following day. NJ. Eulert,
IN attempting afterwards to assign probable
reason for this fierce attack, Supposed that
when the horses had been seen TO rub against
each other queen bee was annoying one OF
them; that the rubbing crushed her, and that
the attack by the swarm was an expression oil
the bees re eminent for the murder OF their
queen Others sought no further than this for
IN explanation; that there were, at that time,
no less than 1000 hives Of bees in the com
mune of Schmogeladorf and that this number
greatly beyond the usual limit increased the
probability of attacks on men and animals.