In answer to your correspondent L. L. L. respecting bee etiquette, I can
inform him, from my personal observation, that the ceremony of informing
the bees of their owner's death is in full force in Ashborne,
Derbyshire, Hinton, Wilts, and even in the highly intellectual city of
Oxford. The ceremony is the same in all these places. Three taps are
made on the hives with the house-key, while the informant repeats:
"Bees, bees, bees, your master is dead, and you must work for ----,"
naming the future owner. A piece of black crape is then fastened to the
hive. Many bee owners think it is politic to inform the bees of the
death of a relation: but in this case they never give the name, but the
degree of relationship; as "your master's brother, sister, aunt, &c. is
dead." On weddings the bees always expect to be informed of the
auspicious event, and to have their hive decorated with a wedding
favour.