The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26
PLAGUE OF WILD BEES.
Odd ~Predieament Of the Caretaker Of or
English Hospital.


A remarkable story Of the wrath OF the
bee" comes from Sedgebrook Farm, near
Plumpton, Sussex. The farm Is he East
Sussex smallpox hospital, the caretaker
OF which and, in a lesser degree. his wife
have been terroriged by bees for nearly
five years.
The bees are not hive bees, though it is
possible that their progenitors at some re-
mote date were domestioated. They are a
swarm OF countless thousands (some local
Rosgips say milIions) which for five years at
least, says the London Erpress, have had
their abode under the tiles Of the farm
house and have lived h Widest OF wild
lives. When the present caretaker came
into residence, four Defenders ago, he
little dreamed Of the unpleasant tenants
already in possession. But in the following
spring he had q painful revelation. He at
tempted a little innocent gardening and
was badly stung for his pains.
During the last four seasons he has been
stung all over his body and chased about
the farm times without number. Once last
wear he was laid low with a sting in the
nostril which almost deprived him OF his
eyesight.
Look at my garden he said, waving
his hand over a beautifully situated plot Of
ground which under ordinary conditions
would be made highly profitable. 1T never
looks respectable and orderly. 1t never
eiyes me what it ought to give. Tit truth
il I am afraid to touch it except when the
bees are indoors. All my gardening has 10
be lone either before the bees come out or
after they have gone in.
They never waste time buzzing around
me when they come out. Without any
warning they dash straight at my head.
and they win often follow me a long way
down the lane. ! seem to be a marked
man."
All sorts Of tales are rife about these
bees. One alarming statement by an
ancient rustic Of the neighborhood who
ticker vicious kind O. bee, and 1t takes
three Of 'em to kill a horse
MANY attempts have been made to de-
stroy them, and several kindly disposed
persons who have assisted the caretaker In
this way nave been badly stung: The
tiles, and as soon as anybody fingers on
their side of the farmhouse they come out
in a body with appalling threats.
On one occasion the caretaker did think
he had rid himself of the insects. They
swarmed one morning. and Thousands on
llOubdlllb Vi hthNO " eNS 6heNH6
OF an air brick which led into a hollow
ventilation pillar inside a second floor room.
As the caretaker saw the black. clustering
mass slowly melt through the grating he
~bethought him OF a cunning device. He
watched them all safely inside the %ventila-
tor, and then closed 1t securely and piled
his hospital fumigator.
Not a single bee game out alive; but
their dead bodies rolled out OF the grating
In scores Of thousands. and thiokly strewed
the ground below. There was much jubi-
liant handwriting between himself n his
wife that evening. for his wife had just b.
fore had several big singing insects settle
in her hair as ehe was hanging out washing.
But the 10y was short lived. for next morn
ing out from the same old hole under the
tiles came. seemingly. as many bees as
ever, and set the man running, hoe In hl nd,
from his potato patch as fast as his legs
could carry him.
Il is thought by local people that the bees
were originally abandoned by a former
tenant o. the. farm. and consequently
sought refuge In the roomy. gables OF the
house, Mnere by now they have probably
stored hundreds Of pounds Of honey.