The honey-bee: its nature, homes and products

There are some personal requisites, in addition to what is called "bee-dress," if immunity from attack is to be secured. The first of these are, calmness and self-control. Many persons become so much alarmed by a single bee buzzing about them, that they begin fighting and buffeting the insect, with the idea of driving it away. No surer method can be devised for inciting its anger and its persistent efforts to wound. If, on the other hand, perfect quietness is maintained, it will rarely happen that a buzzing bee will sting. When mischief is really meant, the attack is usually delivered with great speed and directness. Even if stung, it is much the best policy to be as self-possessed as possible, lest violent movements and angry acts should invite other bees to use their weapons; and they are the more likely to do so, if the first offender be crushed; for the smell of the sting poison and of murdered comrades readily stirs the wrath of the insects.

As a rule, those who are accustomed to manipulate hives gently and fearlessly, may do so without the protection of veil and gloves. We have, however, mentioned the exceptional cases of persons who appear to be naturally offensive to bees; and such individuals must either clothe themselves against the possibility of being stung, or altogether avoid apiculture.

It is also true that, under some circumstances, bees become, like human beings, unaccountably irritable; and then it is better to keep at a safe distance from them, or to approach them clad in bee-dress. It is especially maddening to them to become entangled in the hair of the head or face, and if one of them has unwarily thus ensnared itself, it is advisable to extricate it as speedily as possible, or it will assuredly inflict a wound.

Woollen gloves, and some kinds of leather ones, seem also to be very objectionable to the insects; anything, in fact, which obstructs their freedom of motion, immediately throws them into a passion.

One simple, but very necessary precaution, is, to avoid breathing upon them, when observing them or examining the combs of a bar-frame hive. Blowing at them infuriates them, and they will savagely fly at the face of any one attempting it. Particular electrical conditions of the atmosphere are said to make them irascible. On very hot days, also, they are liable to get out of temper; and showery weather, which drives them frequently home from work, appears to put them in bad humour.

Again, if they have lost their queen, or if she is absent on her nuptial excursion, or if any other event has thrown a hive into excitement, the workers will be likely to show their feeling by some passionate onslaught on the innocent onlooker. There is no disguising the fact that they are very quick-tempered creatures, and often act with an utter want of discrimination in the matter of stinging.

The time most suitable for the examination of stocks, and for any other processes of manipulation, is when the weather is fine, without being sultry or oppressive, and when very large numbers of the older bees are out at work. It is these who are most pugnacious, the young ones being comparatively gentle.

If several, or even one, apparently intent on mischief, should angrily buzz round, the best plan is to thrust one's head into some bush. This, for the most part, baffles the assailant, who seems unable to find its intended victim, and very soon flies away.

When actually stung, the first thing to be done is to extract the weapon, which the unfortunate insect almost invariably tears out of its body, with the poison-bag and muscles, as it flies off. If left in the flesh, the muscles, by their automatic action, drive the barbs in deeper and deeper, the poison also flowing more copiously into the wound. Directly the sting is removed, avoid all rubbing of the part affected, but at once press upon the puncture a hollow key, taking care that the exact spot pierced comes in the centre of the opening of the key-tube. By this means the poison will be prevented from extending in the surrounding capillaries, and from being carried to the neighbouring parts. Moreover, some of the acrid matter will be squeezed out, and so comparatively little inconvenience will follow. The pain will be much relieved if a strong solution of ammonia be forthwith applied; or, failing this, carbonate of soda or of potass, all of which alkaline substances will counteract the acid poison. Should none of these be at hand, bathing with cold water, after the use of the key, will wash away the liquid squeezed out, and will dilute what remains in the wound. The application of dry earth is also recommended, and may do good, both by absorbing any of the fluid expressed from the puncture, and by its alkaline reaction destroying the potency of the poison.

There is, indeed, a long catalogue of remedies vaunted by various apiarians as certain palliatives, if not absolute cures, of the pain and swelling induced by the stings of bees. Among these may be enumerated the following: the juice of the ripe berry of the honeysuckle; the milky liquid of the white poppy stalk; the juice of tobacco; the leaves of the plantain, or of the dock, bruised and applied to the wound. Bevan recommends spirits of hartshorn, of which ammonia is the chief component. Sliced onion or leek is very strongly praised as an antidote by some writers in our bee journals.

The principles of chemistry undoubtedly point to alkaline solutions as the proper kind of application. There can be no doubt that the poison is acid in its reaction. Any one may test this by collecting a drop or two, and putting the liquid on to litmus-paper. The characteristic change of the blue colour to red will, at once, indicate the nature of the substance. Consequently, the natural neutraliser of its properties will be an alkali of some sort.

Should faintness and prostration come on in consequence of one or more stings, as happens in the case of certain constitutions, smelling-salts (ammonia), or other usual stimulants to the nervous system and heart-action, must be applied, and medical aid should be summoned; but the cases in which such steps become necessary are comparatively rare. Certainly not one person in a thousand need be terrified from bee-keeping by the fear of serious consequences from being stung.

It is true the effects of the poison are, in most cases, very unpleasant, severe pain being felt for a few minutes, succeeded later by swelling, smarting, and irritation; but these symptoms soon subside, and leave no ill consequences. Moreover, it is a well-ascertained fact that, after numerous stings, some effect is produced on the blood—a sort of inoculation—which renders the result of the poison less and less severe. Many bee-keepers, indeed, pay almost no attention to punctures from their pets, as pain and swelling are quite insignificant in their cases. Herr Klein, in fact, recommends apiarians to get purposely stung, so that, as speedily as possible, they may secure to themselves this immunity from discomfort. We doubt whether many persons will have the hardihood to accept his advice, or will consider such a violently homœopathic remedy less objectionable than an occasional attack of the malady.[9]

Our advice, on the contrary, is that the bee-keeper, especially if timid about being stung, should take all reasonable precautions against attack. For this purpose he should provide himself with a bee-dress, consisting of a sort of bag of black net, which will slip over the head and shoulders, and may be fastened round the waist by an elastic band. It should be large enough to admit of wearing a hat with a tolerably broad brim. This will cause the veil to stand away from the face sufficiently to prevent any angry bee from getting at the flesh. Sleeves of black calico should be attached to it, and may be secured at the wrists by tying, or by elastic bands. Such a dress is best worn without a coat but over a waistcoat, as greater coolness and freedom of movement will thus be attained. The hands may be protected by cotton or india-rubber gloves, and the sleeves should be fastened over these round the wrists. If, in conducting any extensive manipulations, bees, half-stupefied or weak from their youthfulness, are likely to be crawling about the ground, it is advisable to tuck the trousers inside the boots, or to tie them round the ankles, or in some way to prevent the ascent of any insects beneath the clothes.

Thus protected, the novice may, with perfect confidence, conduct such operations among his hives as he may deem necessary. He should be careful, however, not to let his security induce any roughness or carelessness in handling the insects or their combs and hive-frames. As much quietness and gentle treatment should be used, as if freedom from attack depended entirely on such methods; for, it is certain that by great tenderness in handling, bees become accustomed to those who have to do with them; whereas, a hive once enraged by accidental or rough manipulation will remain ill-tempered and passionate for a long period, and will consequently become very difficult to deal with. If, by any means, a stock has thus been excited, it is advisable to leave it alone, and let it quiet down as speedily and thoroughly as possible.

The use of smoke must not be forgotten, as one of the most potent means of controlling the passion of bees, and causing them to gorge themselves, in which condition of repletion they are much better-tempered than under any other circumstances.

Various kinds of "smokers" are in use among apiarians, and different substances to be burnt for producing the smoke are recommended. Among the former we may mention the apparatus of Messrs. Abbott of Southall, Neighbour of London, and Blow of Welwyn, Herts: while brown paper, old sacking, touchwood, puff-ball, rags moistened with a solution of nitre and dried, will afford sufficiently satisfactory means of fumigating stocks. Bee-keepers will find a few vigorous puffs of tobacco very effectual in alarming the bees, and driving them to fill their honey-bags. There will, however, be some risk of being stung, as one cannot conveniently smoke with a veil on, and where lengthened manipulations are required, it is often necessary to repeat the fumigating process, if the bees seem recovering from their first dose, or if many, absent at its administration, have returned to their homes while these are being disturbed. We recommend, therefore, the presence of some kind of fumigating apparatus in every apiary, and in the selection of one it will be found very convenient to have amongst its advantages the ability of retaining in a smouldering condition, by a gentle through-draught, the materials inserted for burning. The "smoker" should always be properly filled with the stuff from which smoke is to be generated, and smouldering should go on continuously in the material when laid aside in the intervals of more active use. Great trouble and inconvenience arise from having repeatedly to re-light the paper, rag, or other articles used. One means of obviating this, is to stand the apparatus point upwards, when the funnel will act as a chimney, and aid in keeping up a quiet current of air.