Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-12-09
HUNTING BEE TREES.


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An old-time bee hunter, who recalls the
trouble he had as boy learning the tricks
OF the sport, describes his manner Of
working. He has two methods hunting
from bait and hunting from water. In
the former case he is not in favor of using
box at first; that is, box containing
honey or some other bait.
Bees are suspicious Of q box which has
been much used by other bees. They
seem to fear that il they try to help them
selves to its contents they will be attacked
by the real owners. 30 they sometimes
fly OF YEARLY and don't come back.
"For this reason" says the old-timer,
II simply put piece OF honeycomb on
high fiat-topped stump or on the top Of .
forked stick. The bees will start to work
much quicker in this way, and after the
line is fairly started the box can be used
and they will not notice it.
Hunting from water is q method little
known among amateur bee hunters, but
lit is one Of the most successful. During
the summer months, when the bees are
raising young, there is always certain
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"These water-carrying bees do nothing
else. While thus employed they feed from
the stores in the hive. They search out
the spot most convenient to their tree
where they can ct the kind OF water re-
quired, the tree seeming usually to have
been selected with proper water supply
in view, - they are nearly always within
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watering place.
"Bees will not suck up water directly
out Of the stream or pond - bird or
animal does, but seems to suck the moist
ure out Of the dampness on partly sub
merged pebble stone, or perhaps from .
stick or log that lies partly in the water
and IL full Of moisture.
Very often they got moisture out Of the
mud near the edge Of the water, and seem
to prefer place where stock come to water
and track up the mud or mire into sort
Of mortar-like state.
"When they have found . place that
suits them they continue to come there O.
long - the water supply remains to suit
them or they need the water. Each bee, il
undisturbed, is apt to light each time on
exactly the same spot on messy pebble,
wet stick or place i'll the mud, so that in
flying from there to the tree they have by
much going and coming found the most
convenient and direct route.
"They will not always fly in direct line
toward the tree, but il there are thick
bushes or trees in the way near to the
watering place they will get in the habit
Of flying around them; also il there is an
open avenue through the trees, they may
get to flying up that. even though it does
not lead directly toward the tree.
"If it were not for these deviations in
flight it would be very simple matter to
find the hive once the bees were found
watering, as they fly low from water and
| are very easy to line; but oftentimes the
line of flight has a CROOK or turn. When
such is the case it often needs sharp eyes
i and good bit of patience to find the place
| where the turn is made.
II remember one occasion where we
found the bees watering at the creek. A
heavy growth of thick standing timber
lined the creek. The bees were unable,
apparently, to find place that suited
them for water where the creek was near
est to their tree. They were watering at a
| spot some two hundred yards below, and
in flying to the tree they went directly up
the creek to point opposite the tree, then
turned at right angles through the
timber"
As can be imagined, we did lot OF look
ing and were thoroughly puzzled until we
happened to find the turn they were max
ing. Occasionally it would happen that
the bees were getting water within twenty
to forty yards Of the tree.
SIN such case they have no line OF
flight, but simply rise in the air spirally
SO as to get up to level with the opening
or entrance to their hive. Some circle uE
one way, some another, so that a novice
is pretty sure to be bewildered.
II remember well the first trees found
of that kind, and how followed up hall
dozen false lines in as many directions,
and when about to give up happened te
think that they must be close by ano
found them up in a tall tree not more
than thirty or forty feet away.
"I've had the best success hunting bees
from water during July and August and
in seasons when it was dry, SO that the
watering places were fewer, consequently
easier found. l can find more trees from
water than with bait and find them easier
having found six trees in one day hunting
from water. l don't remember to have
found more than two or three trees in 6
day from bait.
" If it should found be necessary t.
get a cross line in order to find tree, some
Of the bees can be changed from water te
work on honey by putting a leaf, OF
which are few drops of Trimmed honey
or syrup made Of sugar, down where
some of the bees light to water. Wher
they run into the honey they will fill and
come back to fill again on it. After they
are fairly started on the honey they can bs