Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-01-03
HUNTING FOR BEE TREES.
How tho Stores Of Honey are Found In
the Western wilderness.

In the great forests west OF the Missis-
Gppi the wild bees swarm in countless
numbers, feeding on the luxurious vege-
tation which skirts and intersects the
Wairies all along the alluvial bottoms OF
the rivers, and seeming TO fulfill liter
ally the Bible description Of q Gland flow
ing with milk and honey" Hollow trees
Gre taken possession of by them, and
honey stored into them in large quanti-
tics. II nothing G5turbs them they re-
main in their old quarters for long periods
at q time, laying up stores Of honey for
their own use, and, as is often the case,
for the bears or the white men in the long
run. The hunters who make a business
of collecting the honey are the most mer-
ciless enemies that the little creatures
hapA Unlike Bruin, who discovers q
hive 81 honey by chance, or through the
aid OF mis- sensitive nose, the bee hun
ter carry on their work systematically.
watching the habits Of the little creatures
willie gathering honey from the flowers,
and then following them as they return
TO their home through the air. After an
experience Of a year or two in the bust
ness, the hunters can locate with won-
derful accuracy the home Of the bees,
notwithstanding the fact that the hive is
often situated in q dense forest, and in
trees where no one would ever think Of
looking for honey. Like most other wild
creatures, the bees betray their hiding
place by their own action.
The hunters before starting out in quest
Of their rich booty provide Themselves
with The necessary equipments. These
consist OF axes, rifles, matches and a
small piece OF boneycomb. The rifles
are carried alorg for their own protec-
ton, in case the hunters should be hunted
by enemies other than honey bees.
When an open glade near The edge Of the
forest is reached, he piece Of hoDeycomb
Is placed on a low bush where il can be
plainly seen by the passing bees. Its
sweet aroma quickly fills the a'rround :
and attracts the little honey gaihere,
toward il. Like n miser. who has sud
denly discovered a tr'asuIe u gold, they
dive down into the little cells and begin
20 satiate their appetite. Then, without
suspecting the trap st for them, MOI
stopping 10 inquire about the strange
! phenomenon u h~oneycomb growing on a
bush, they dart away through the forest
20 deposit their load in the hive.
This is the hunters opportunity. No
ticing the direction IN which the bees fly.
they quickly start in pursuit, kee. ,ng the
little creatures in sight with difficulty
Usually an OLD experienced be hunter
takes the lead. and his eagle like eyes can
detect the small lack speckr in the air
when the otl-.n have entirely Lost sight
Of them. Through dense clusters Of
bnmbles and over wet and bogyy ground
they hurry. completely ahsorbd in the
chase, and unmindful u all dislgrccable
surroundings. They have TO make a bee
line through the woods. and not 10 stop
10 consider whether there is better travel
ing in another but longer direction.
Even the most expert leaders OF hunt
ing parties viii sometimes lose sight Of
Che game. and the bess will escape with
cut t~etraying the locality Of their homes.
After wandering about in the woods for
o sufficient time, searching ~atientiyely on
Overy tree for n sign u one Of the little
creatures. the leader becomes satisfied
fhat he cannot find the hive without re-
sorting &c another trick. A small box
With a glass top Is then produced, within
which are a number Of bss, which the
hunters have caught round the honey
comb before entering the woods. One 81
these is allowed to escape from the box
and the direction which il takes immedi
stely followed by the party. A walk o
several minutes is then kept up, the leadei
keeping his eyes fixed ON a certain tree
which he has marked in the distance.
The others Of the party glance about
them 20 discover signs Of the tree in
which the hive is hidden.
A second bee Is then allowed TO escape
from the box. Instead Of living in the
aame direction taken by the inst one. IL
darts oil TO the right and pursues a course
directly opposite 10 that adopted by its
mate. Thu would he misleading 20 an
inexperienced hunter, and be would con
clude naturally that either the bees were
from different hives, or the old saying
about bees flying directly 10 their homes
when liberated was all ''bosh."
The leader OF the hunting party. how
sver understands the mute language of
the little insects. The party has passed
the tree containing the hive. and a coun-
Aermarch is Immediately ordered. Double
precaution is now taken 10 locate the X
act spot Of the hive, and in a very short
time this is done.
But quite frequently il happens that
che hunters when in the immediate
neighborhood Of the tree are unable 10
Distinguish the right one from the others
The entrance 10 the bee castle IL several
feet above the ground, and the eyes Of
Che hunters are unable 30 see IL unless
attracted by the bees coming in and out
IA numbers. The third step Of the hunt
\ then taken, and the leader knows that
This cannot fail. A fire Is kindled and O
piece OF honeycomb placed upon q warm
stone. In a few minutes the honey DO
gins 10 melt, and the smell from IL per-
meates the air throughout the forest,
reaching even the bees In their snug
home. As a result the whole colony u
hses begin 10 swarm out Of their citadel
and fy around the fire from Which the
sweet odor arises. Unconsciously they
have Disclosed their hiding Dlare, and the