The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
ENEMIES or HONEY BEES.
They Are Numerous and Show Considers
BILE Intelligence in Their Mischief.
From the Hartford Coman'.


To the student of natural history morning
at the apiary seems well spent. not alone in
Watching the manTuvres Of the honey bee.
but in observing the various dwellers of tho
insect world who hover about the home OF
the bees in the hope of snatchng taste Of
stolen sweets.
But 1t Is not the stranger insects only who
annoy the apinry Of bees the robber honey
bees from other apiares, and even from hives
in the same apiary, are apt not infrequently to
cause II skirmish.
These robbers. too lazy to seek among the
flowers their lawful booty. dart about the en-
frances Of the hives, striving by artand celebrity
to enter and bear away to their own hive the
pagcd honey.
the colony which they are trying to rob a
strong one. the marauders are quickly bounced
upon by the bees who guard the entrance to
the hive and by these guards they are rolled
over and nippcd at and stung If possible
Tho robbcr usually makes plucky fig ut.
s ns IN ha to be a
| else the rohhcr in his valiant struggle for
Liberty .ss9rts unnarmgd , But # TIE eo|9ny
robbers Oite succeed In destroying 1t. Free
Iuently in the, spring or early summer. when
| the 4 e. are being led sugar syrup III lit
wooden troughs Tor the purposes Of brood
rearing, less industrious insects and ,o'her
hymenuptcra visit these feeding places. alght-
| by swift darting cs aning the vengeance Of the
| Sometimes the bees are SO greedily occupied
| IN examining their little honey sacs that they
trudors, and the latter drink up the syrup side
| hy side with THEN ,harp-tcmpered little neigh
Tho yellow Jackets fly in great numbers
about tn" apiary at feeding time, but they do
1 Sn M back snS hTG ana T%
| tween their nests and the feeding trough at
regular intervals as described by Sir John
The most beautiful Of the wasps is slim.
solitary wasps seeking for bees to feed to her
young al well as Tor honey.
The great yellow and black humble bee free
quontly visits the apinry. seemingly intent on
s""iability alone, for it does not aliGht. hut
nd p2 S b 6e Snh
the insect sort of clustering hail fellow.
blue flies and bright. green ones and many
9th others less gayly hued constantly are seen on
the porch Of the hive. trying to fly through the
constantly. finding them, great nuisance, for
the to gIard , bees are seldom quick enough e
the time shooting" them of.
ott,mea3 hrght-ey brown toad will be
~ bee comes close enough for him to lick
him down with its lightning. like tongue.
to catch the little honey gatherers. aud tho
cunning spiders spin their, webs where, the
death. But most dangerous to the welfare of
the colony are the moths and the ants when
develop into disgusting large white worms,
which tunnel their way through webhy gall
leres in the wax. eating up everything and de-
vasating the COLONY.
The Jtulian bees have proved themselves the
most efficient in keeping the moth from tho
hive.
The artful little ant often succeeds in enter
ing hive for she is swift and quiet in her
movements. and is nuisance to the bees
keeper.
In southern countries, whore ants are nu-
mcrous, all sorts of contrvanccs are resorted
70 in the hope OF keeping the apiary clear OF
them.
1t is amusing to watch guard bee seize
,lpon an enemy and conquer him. The bee
holds the hostile insect In its front legs. pinch
ing it and rolling it about and also singing IL
II possible. When tho invader is made help
tim IN her forelcgs, makes strenuous efforts to
ny with hcr heavy burden. and finally succeed
ing. she rises with her closely clasped victim.
ana when at a certain distance from the hive.
sometimes 1t takes several OF the guards to
overcome the struggling enemy. and together
they push tho insect over the porch OF the
hive.
The bees II simply wounded. sometimes sue
coed In getting back to their own hive, but,
being incaracitated for work they are no
longer welcome there, and only meet with re-
from ther, hive, they crawl Off somewhere
ana die For in tho cooperation Of the colony
OF bees. each hns her appointed task
tthIther TO- gather IGilen, bring water or guard
tasks, and no longer necessary to the well
iare OF the colony. she is turned out TO perish
for, with the bees life means industry and In a
and where bees are flying in and out the hive
every second. nothing seems to be considered
but the perpetuation OF the species The but.
terny aud other insects appear to enjoy but
ihe9r that II PERFORMS speaks for futurity and
not the present.