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 analogy 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 pass 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 pass 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 clustered
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 attitude, 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 substitute.
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 passed 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 wishing 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 pass 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 assertion 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 analogy, 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 circumstances 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 coarse lace
inserted; that which will just prevent a bee from passing, 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 shirt 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 attitude, 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.