_Sawyersville, N. C._, Oct. 1, 1870.
[For the American Bee Journal.]
More About the Looking-Glass.
I see on pages 34 and 35, Vol. VI of the A. B. Journal, that Mr. H.
Nesbit seems to doubt the efficacy of the looking-glass for stopping a
swarm of bees. I would like to tell him an instance, and see if he
doubts longer. A near neighbor of mine was at work for me one day, when
his wife called him, for the bees were swarming. We went to his house
and the bees were just clustering on a tree near by. He got a hive and
was going to hive them, when they started to go off. He took a large
looking-glass and ran to get up with them, for by this time they had got
fifteen or twenty rods from where they had clustered. He reflected the
rays of the sun upon them, and they soon began to think of lighting. As
there were no trees near by, they began to cluster on his hat; and he,
being somewhat afraid of bees, made good time for the house, I assure
you. They then settled on a post in the fence near by, and were hived.
In about an hour they concluded to try for the woods again; but the
looking-glass brought them down once more, and they were hived a second
time. In two hours after they started the third time. It being cloudy at
the time, they made their escape, as the looking-glass would not work
without the sun. Now, was the queen tired or defective, or was it the
looking-glass that proved efficient? There were several persons, nearly
a mile distant, who saw the reflected rays of the sun, their attention
being called from their work by the brightness of the reflection. I am
inclined to think it was the looking-glass, instead of the queen being
tired or defective. I have since tried it, and never failed to stop a
swarm when the sun shone.