The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-10-30
BATTLE AMONG TIE BEES.
How the Little Busy Workers Dispose their
Forces.

When the chill of the autumn days
bli.htS the life of the leaves and flow
cr> in woods and garden. the flow Of
honey is checked. and the busy bees
find their labors doubled :, restless
activity Scizcs them, and they fly
around in an unsettled condition of
mind until the approaching cold wealth
cr drives them permanently into their
winter quarters No creature seems
to regret the change of season more
genuinely than the honey bees and
one is inspired with sympathy for the
shivcring. drawn-up bodies that hover
around the entrances to the hives, or
return from their long flights with only
a spcck of honey in their sacs
But this transition season is one of
alarm to the apiarist. for the bees,
tormcntcd by hunger and the lack Of
work to do. get into mischief in the
fall Of the year very easily. The quiet
est. most Industrious worker Of the
hive may at any moment lead a body
IF organized robbers against ncl gh-
boring hive to st al the stores :. honey
that have becl .athcrcd through the
warm season. \ mania for robbery
scizcs the colonies, and the weak stand
in daily fear of being destroyed by the
stronger. An extra sentinel is placed
at the entrance of each hive, and the
strictcst watch is kept for all intru-
dcrs. On some quiet autumn day,
when the buckwhcat blossoms are
slowly closing their petals for the last
time, the restless bees of one large
hive may be seen flying around in
great activity, accommodating the field
for an attack upon some weaker colony.
Standing in front Of the hive that has
been singled out for the prcmcditatcd
assault, niost interesting sight may
be observed. y single bee comes buz-
zing through the air and alights upon
the board in front of the entrance to
the hive. One of the two or three
bees standing guard at the entrance
advances toward the newcomer and cx-
tends its tongue. The intrudins bee
must give the counterSign by passing
some of its honey from its sac, which
sample, if found satisfactory, will ad-
nit to the hive. If the honey is not
right. or if the bee refuses to offer a
sample, the scntrieS Immediately
pouncc upon the intruder and kill it.
When the bee is simply lonely
creature trying to effect an entrance
into some warm hive, the work OF kill
ing it and throwing the carcass over the
side of the board is brief, but if the
intruder is the forcrunncr Of an attack
by a large colony a very different re-
suit follows. While the scntries are
trying to kill the bee, the rest of the
attacking'party will try to force an en-
trance into another part Of the hive,
or into the unprotected entrance in
front. The weak points of the hive
have been noted by the bees before
hand, and the whole attack is arranged
even to the smallest detail. On the
first signs of warfare the whole colony
inside rush to the defence, and gen
cral alarm is given.
When war between two colonies is
thus prccipitatcd, the bees will pay
no attention to a human intruder, and
one may stand close to the hive and
watch the proceedings. The attack
ing colony has one great object in
view, and that is to get inside Of the
hive, while the home bees work strcn-
uous Is to keep them out The former
generally place themselves upon the
defensive, and the latter on the often
sivc. The tactics Of the bees in battle
are very simple. The 60 upon the plan
of sending two bees to kill one. When
two of the home bees fall upon tho
first intruder, the latter gathers up its
abdomen in aS small Il space as posi-
bic and tries to avoid being stung.
Meanwhile he forces himself gradually
into the hive to make room for other
intrudcrs. The body of the bee is
vulnerable only at it's Joints, and the
the home defenders collars him and by
following him around through various
contortions sometimes find and unpro-
tccted spot. The intruder is then
rapidly stung to death, and the two
warriors turn to attack another enemy
in the hive.
The size Of the colony does not al
ways determine the results OF such
battle. There are defensive arrange
mcnts of the bees which often enable
an inferior force to keep twice their
number outside. The dcfcnccs are SO
arranged that the entrance is narrowed
down to small point inside, and at
this place the best warriors of the
colony are stationed. As the lntru-
dcrs enter they are seized one by one,
and generally killed. In a properly
guarded hive it is difficult for a strong
colony to force an entrance unless
there is some weak point. Sometimes
the attack is made 50 suddenly that a
great many bees get inside before the
guards are called to their stations. II
the attacking party prove successful,
and the bees get inside Of the hive,
they then suddenly assume the otfcn-
Siyc. and fall upon the home bees and
>ting them to death. The slaughter
Of the inhabitants becomes general
and the bodies Of the dead are hauled
out and thrown upon the ground.
But at this point Of the conflict the
human side Of the bees is manifested.
Some of the attacked party will sud
dcdly turn traitors, and the weaker
ones will Join the forces Of the intru-
dcrs and help to kill their former
friends. When the battle is waging
hot. the strongest defcnccs may thus
be abandoned by the defenders and
turned over to the enemy. Only afew
of the bravcSt warriors will f@ht until
the very last for their homes. W hen
the hive is finally captured. the lew
traitors who Joined in the fight against
the home defenders are admitted into
REGULAR fellowship with the victorious
party. They show special vigor in
helping to carry away the stores of the
own-fallcn colony. The work carry
ing all Of the honey away will occupy
several days and the bees will be kept
busy even though the days are so chill
ly that the late flowers refuse to open
their petals to the sun. The bees