Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained Part 24

Careless bee-keepers, when their hives are thus robbed, feel regret, or are more often vexed at somebody--at the result of their carelessness.

The person, keeping most bees in a neighborhood, must expect to be accountable for all effects of their ignorance, mismanagement, or carelessness, and consequent "bad luck;" when all the honey thus obtained, probably carries with it more mischief than can be eradicated in a twelvemonth, thereby giving the real cause of complaint to the other party.

CHAPTER XVIII.

IRRITABILITY OF BEES.

Keeping bees good-natured, offers a pretty fair subject for ridicule: it seems rather too absurd to teach _a bee_ anything! Nevertheless, it is worth while to think of it a little. Most of us know that by injudicious training, horses, cattle, dogs, &c., may be rendered extremely vicious. If there is no perceptible a.n.a.logy between these and bees, experience proves that they may be made ten times more irritable than they naturally would be.

THEIR MEANS OF DEFENCE.

Nature has armed them with means to defend their stores, and provided them with combativeness sufficient to use them when necessary. This could not be bettered. If they were powerless to repel an enemy, there are a thousand lazy depredators, man not excepted, who would prey upon the fruits of their industry, leaving them to starve. Had it been so arranged, this industrious insect would probably have long since been extinct.

TIME OF GREATEST IRRITABILITY.

The season of their greatest caution, in this section, is August, during the flowers of buckwheat. It is then their stores are greatest.

As soon as a stock is pretty well supplied with this world's goods, like some bipeds, they become very haughty, proud, aristocratic, and insolent. A great many things are construed into insults, that in their days of adversity would pa.s.s unnoticed; but now it is becoming and proper for their honor to show a "just resentment." It behooves us, therefore, to ascertain what are considered insults.

PROPER CONDUCT.

First, all quick motions, such as running, striking, &c., about them, are noticed. If our movements among them are slow, cautious, humble, and respectful, we are often let to pa.s.s unmolested, having manifested a becoming deportment. Yet the exhalations from some persons appear very offensive, as they attack them much sooner than others; though I apprehend there is not so great a difference as many suppose. Whenever an attack is made, and a sting follows, the venom thus imparted to the air, if by only one, is perceived by others at some distance, which will immediately approach the scene, and more stings are likely to follow than if the first had not been.

HOW TO PROCEED WHEN ATTACKED.

Striking them down renders them ten times more furious. Not in the least daunted, they return to the attack. Not the least show of fear is perceived. Even after losing their sting, they obstinately refuse to desist. It is much the best way to walk as quietly as possible to the shelter of some bush, or to the house. They will seldom go inside of the door.

A PERSON'S BREATH OFFENSIVE, AND OTHER CAUSES.

The breath of a person inside the hive, or among them, when cl.u.s.tered outside, is considered in the tribunals of their insect wisdom as the greatest indignity. A sudden jar, sometimes made by carelessly turning up the hive, is another. After being once thoroughly irritated in this way, they remember it for weeks, and are continually on the alert; the moment the hive is touched, they are ready to salute a person's face.

When slides of tin or zinc are used to cut off the communication between the hives and boxes, some of the bees are apt to be crushed or cut in two. This they remember, and retaliate, as occasion offers; and it may be when quietly walking in the apiary.

THEIR MANNER OF ATTACK.

I must disagree with any one who says we always have warning before being stung. I have been stung _a few times_ myself. Two-thirds of them were received without the least notice--the first intimation was the "blow." At other times, when fully determined on vengeance, I have had them strike my hat and remain a moment endeavoring to effect their object. In this case, I have warning to hold down my face to protect it from the next attempt, which is quite sure to follow. As they fly horizontally, the face held in that position is not so liable to be attacked. When they are not so thoroughly charged with anger, they often approach in merely a threatening att.i.tude, buzzing around very provokingly for several minutes in close proximity to our ears and face, apparently to ascertain our intentions. If nothing hostile or displeasing is perceived, they will generally leave; but should a quick motion or offensive breath offend them, the dreaded result is almost sure to follow. Too many people are apt to take these threatening manifestations as positive intentions to sting. When these things can be quietly endured, and at the same time leave their vicinity, it generally ends peaceably. They never make an attack while away from their home in quest of honey, or on their return, until they have entered the hive. It is only in the hive and its vicinity that we expect to meet this irascible temperament, which should not be allowed, or at least may be subdued in a great measure, if not entirely, by doing things in a quiet manner, and, by the use of tobacco smoke. Any person having the care of bees should go armed with this powerful weapon. As bees are not much affected with smoke, while flying in the air, but will have their own way, we must take them in the hive as the place to teach _them_ a proper deportment!

Those who are accustomed to smoking will find a pipe or segar very convenient here. But such as are not would do better, perhaps, not to learn a bad habit. I will therefore give a simple subst.i.tute.

SMOKER DESCRIBED.

Get a tube of tin about five-eighths of an inch diameter, five or six inches in length; make stoppers of wood to fit both ends, two and a half or three inches long; with your nail-gimlet make a hole through them lengthwise: when put together it should be about ten inches. The ends may be tapered. On one end leave a notch, that it may be held with the teeth, which is the most convenient way, as you will often want to use both hands: it is also always ready, without any trouble to blow through, and also to keep the tobacco burning. When ready to operate, fill the tube with tobacco, ignite it, and put in the stoppers; by blowing through it you keep the tobacco burning while the smoke issues at the other end.

EFFECT OF TOBACCO SMOKE.

We can now subdue these combative propensities, or render them harmless; turn their anger to submission, and make them yield their treasures to the hands of the spoiler without an effort of resistance!

When once overpowered, they seem to lose all knowledge of their strength, and no slave can be more submissive! After the effects of the smoke have pa.s.sed off, their former animosity will return. Should any resentment be shown on raising a hive, blow in the smoke; they immediately retreat, "begging pardon." After a few times, they learn "it's no use," and allow an inspection. If you wish to take off a box, raise it just enough to blow under the smoke; there is no trouble; you can replace it with another; the bees are kept out of the way with a little more smoke, _and no anger created about it to be remembered_.

Those in the box are all submission; they can be carried away and handled as you please, without a possibility of getting them irritated, until they once more get home, and then are much more "amiable" than if the box had been taken without the smoke. They seem to forget, or do not realize anything of the transaction. When bees are to be transferred to a new hive, it is unnecessary to be so very particular about the escape of a single bee; no fears need be entertained of such as get out. In driving, the loud humming indicates their submission; the upper hive can then be safely raised at any time. After being thus driven out, they may be pushed about with impunity, and still be quiet!

In short, by using smoke on all occasions where they would be likely to be disturbed without it by our meddling with them, it has a tendency to keep dormant their combative propensities. When these have never been aroused, there is much less danger from their attacks while walking or looking among them. Any one wis.h.i.+ng further proof, I would recommend the experiment of managing one year with smoke, and the next without.

STING DESCRIBED.

Their sting, as it appears to the naked eye, is but a tiny instrument of war; so small, indeed, that its wound would pa.s.s unheeded by all the larger animals, if it was not for the poison introduced at the same instant. It has been described as being "composed of three parts, a sheath and two darts. Both the darts are furnished with small points or barbs like a fishhook," that hold it when introduced into the flesh; the bee being compelled to leave it behind.

DOES ITS LOSS PROVE FATAL?

It is said "to the bee itself this mutilation proves fatal." This last is another a.s.sertion for fact, so often repeated, that perhaps we might as well admit it; seeing the difficulty we should have in disproving it. Only think of the impossibility of keeping our eye, for five minutes, on a bee that is flying about, after it has left its sting.

Yet there are some persons so very particular about what they receive as facts, that they would require this very unreasonable thing of watching a bee till it died, before they could be _positively sure_ that the loss of its sting caused its death. (It is much easier to guess.) They might even take a.n.a.logy, and say that other insects possess so little sensation that they have been known to recover after much more extensive mutilation--that beetles have lived for months under circ.u.mstances that would have instantly killed some of the higher animals--that spiders often reproduce a leg, even lobsters can replace a lost claw, &c. I have put off describing any protection against their attacks, because I wish to get up a little more courage in our doings among them. Yet it is folly to expect all will manage successfully without something for defence.

MEANS OF PROTECTION.

The face and hands are most exposed; for the latter, thick woollen mittens or gloves are best; the sting is generally left when thrust into a leather glove. For the face procure one and a half yards of thin muslin or calico, sew the ends together, the upper end gathered on a string small enough to prevent it slipping over the head when put on.

An arm-hole is to be cut out on each side; below is another string to gather it close to the body. As I do not expect you to work in the dark, we will have a place cut out in front, and a piece of coa.r.s.e lace inserted; that which will just prevent a bee from pa.s.sing, is best, as it gives us a better chance to see. To keep it from falling against the face, a wire is bent around and sewed fast. Any person that knows how to put on a s.h.i.+rt will manage this. When thus equipped, and other garments of proper thickness, the most timid ought not to hesitate to venture among them, when necessary. I cannot avoid cautioning you again to beware of irritating your bees, until this protection is necessary, as it is a rather bad state of things. With this on, you cannot conveniently use any smoke. To put this on and off is considerable trouble, and every time you go among them, if you have to resort to this, I fear some necessary duties will be neglected. Whenever a partial protection will do, I would recommend a handkerchief; it is always at hand, and can be put on in a moment; throw it over the head, letting the ends fall around the neck and shoulders, covering all but the face. The hat can come on over it. As for the face, whenever a bee comes around in a menacing att.i.tude, hold it down--unless he stings at the first onset, there is not much risk.

REMEDIES FOR STINGS.

Concerning the remedies for stings, it is a hard matter to tell which is the best. There is so much difference in the effect in different individuals, and the different parts of the body, as well as the depth the sting reaches, that a great variety of remedies are recommended.

A person is slightly stung, and applies something as an antidote; the effect of the sting is trifling, as perhaps it would have been without anything, and the medicine is forthwith extolled as a sovereign remedy.

I have been thus deceived; when slightly stung applied what I thought cured in one case, when in the next the sting might have penetrated deeper, or in some other place, and the remedy would seem to have no effect. For the last few years, I have not made any application whatever for myself, and the effect is no worse, nor even as bad as formerly. (This, I am told, is because the system is hardened, and now can resist or throw off the effects.) Among the remedies recommended, are saleratus and water, salt and water, soft-soap mixed with salt, a raw onion cut in two and one-half applied, mud or clay mixed pretty wet and changed often, tobacco wet and rubbed thoroughly to get at the strength, and cold water constantly applied. To cure the smart, the application of tobacco is strongly urged, and cold water is spoken of with equal favor to prevent the swelling.

When stung in the throat, drinking often of salt and water is said will prevent serious consequences.

Whether any of these remedies are applied or not, I suppose it is unnecessary to say that the sting should be pulled out as soon as practicable.

CHAPTER XIX.

ENEMIES OF BEES.

Among the enemies of bees, there are included rats, mice, birds, toads, and insects.