Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-01-09
BEES AS MESSENGERS.
They Carry Dispatches as Unerringly a
Trained Pigeons.


Trained Pigeons.
1t is more than likely that the next
great European war will be signalized
by some altogether remarkable innova-
tons in the way of carrying military
dispatches. The carrier pigeons OF a
quarter of century back are certain to
be superseded, perhaps by storks, per-
haps by sparrows. Experiments have
already been, tried with both these birds,
and with fir degree of success.
The stork, however, despite his swift
ness of fight and his strength, is too
easy mark tor the Lebel bullet, and it
is questioned whether the sparrow is
sufficiently strong. In this uncertainty
an English apiculturist offers bees as
messengers of war. He has tested their
packet-carrying abilities, and can vouch
for their speedy return, upon liberation
to the place whence they came.
While at first sight the turning of bees
into couriers may seem something of a
joke, it is nevertheless regarded seri-
ously throughout England. The man
who suggested it took a few bees from
miles away. He waited several days, so
that the bees might become familiar
with their surroundings. He then let a
few of them loose in room, in which
was plate of honey. The bees settled
upon this, and while they were busy
eating mock dispatches were fastened
on them by the apiculturist's trained
hand. ..
The thinnest of all thread bound the
little packets, which were of the filmiest
of paper. to the bees backs. Great care
was taken to leave the head and wings
absolutely free. The windows were
then opened and the bees thrown out
into the air. With the certainty of car
rier pigeons, they started off at once
for home, arriving there in an incred-
IDLY short time, with the packets secure
upon their backs.
Naturally this project would only be
possible in summer and in warm eli,
mates, for the reason that the bees
would be unable to endure severe
weather. Bees would have the advan-
tage over pigeons or birds because of
their invisibility. Nor would there be
any difficulty in going through the
enemy's lines. The apiculturist says
that they could travel so miles quite as
easily as they could four.
Though this is the first time that bees
have been suggested as army messen-
gers, there have been many cases wher
they have proved invaluable as defend
ing forces. At one time, several cen
turtles ago, the city of Tamly, in the
Spanish territory of Xiatine, was be-
sieged by the Portuguese. The invaders
were winning bastion after bastion,
when the beleaguered citizens were
struck with brilliant project. They
brought all the hives that they could
find in the place and set them upon the
city wall, building great fires under
meath them. The smoke and the flames
so incensed the bees that they rushed
out in swarms and flew down upon the
enemy, making panic instanter and
causing them to flee.
Very much the same plan was tried,
and with equal success, by astatesman
of Thuringia, whose house was sur
rounded one day by a furious mob. He
marched his servants out with all his
beehives and threw them one by one in
the midst of the crowd. A. cannon ball
would not have been half as effective
as were these strange and unexpected
weapons. 1t took but few moments to
clear the space around the statesman's
dwelling.-N. Y. World.