Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1913-09-18

&. e.+. Il
written and said regarding the con-
servation of the natural resources of
the country, as well as the protection
of fish and game, even The lowly
crawfish and frog are not forgotten.
However, one of the little jewellers
of the wild, though worthy has been
forgotten and neglected by that
August body of law makers at our
state capitol. The wild honey bee, has
peen hunted and despoiled of its store
of sweet since the first settlers came
into the Baraboo valley.
Hunting wild bees is considered by
many one of the more interesting and
fascinating forms of sport. Starting
with the capture of a single bee, they
are traced by the bee hunters art,
and the tree that houses the swarm,
with it's store of honey, discovered
from among the countless thousands
of the forest.
The method usually employed at
this season of the year is to capture a
bee from the goldenrod or other wood
flowers now ia bloom, on which bees
work. A common glass tumbler and
piece of shingle suffice for the pur-
hn I'm is
placed over the shingle under the bee,
which finding itself captive within
buzzes wrathfully against the bottom of
the inverted tum bier in vain efforts to
escape. A small piece of comb about
one inch in diameter containing honey
or syrup made from sugar is now
placed on fat stump or stone and
the tumbler, with bee inside,
placed over it. The frightened bee at
first does not apparently notice the
honey but continues its fruitless efforts
to escape.
A cloth is then put over the lumber
to darken the interior, or, in lieu of
cloth, the bee hunters cap. AS soon
as its prison becomes dark the bee re-
covers from its fright, smells the
honey, settles on the piece OF comb
and begins at once to fill its honey sac.
The glass being removed, the tbusy
bee" pays no attention to anything
other than loading the honey sac as
full as can be carried in the homeWard
fight. AS soon as this has been &C
complished the bee, taking a hurried
glance around to note the location OF
this lucky strike, flies heavily from
the comb, rising upward with many
spiraIs and circles and circles over the
starting point. Finally it seems to
gain momentum, dartlng away on It's
homeward flight TO the distant tree.
The bee hunters trained eye has at
tempted to follow all the intricate
twi lists and turns of the bees prepare
tory tight before it darts away in a
slime" for its home. Perhaps the
hunter noted the final direction taken
but this is not'likely.
At any rate, he settles himself down
by the "bait" to await the return of:
the bee and to watch its light home
wards until the direction taken has
been verified. Occasionally, even at
this time of the year, the bee in return
ing witt be accompanied by some of
it's fellow workers so that soon very
I spectacle cluster of them are "fiil-
ing Every few minutes bee starts
on it's homeward fight 90"
After makingsthe trip several times
the bees cease to circle before they
start and take flight from the bait
directly homeward.
The line being thus established, the
bee hunter is ready. to. begin actual
search for the tree. starting out in the
wake of the departing bees. Every
tree that has any appearance of having
a cavity is looked over carefully.
Should the hunter go on in this
manner for a half mile or more and
fail to find the tree return trip isl
then made, taking in perhaps wider
line of search. a'2' @rSF ~ :; :''sel