Home › The Sting › The Sting: Bees

The Sting: Bees

Bees appear to be ever conscious of their stings. They never forget to use them, no matter how frightened they are or how suddenly attacked.

If a bee deliberates, it stings; if it loses presence of mind, it stings; if it happens to think of it without any provocation at all, it stings.

Their reputation in olden time was as bad as it is to-day, and Virgil says of them, - "They are wrathful above measure, and when provoked breathe venom into their stings and leave their hidden darts fixed in the veins and lay down their lives in the wound."

While Seneca feelingly remarks, - "Bees are the most angriest and fellest creatures that be, according to the capacitie of their bodies, and leave their stings in the wound."

It is only fair to say that bees differ in disposition, and that while some varieties are extremely "handy with their weapons," and not at all slow to anger, other kinds are much less easily provoked.

The Italian bee has an enviable reputation for temper, though occasionally a hive of Italians is ugly enough, and one would do well to think twice before going too near, and then not go.

Concerning the dispositions of bees, Moffett says: - "Bees, even by nature, are much different: for some are most domestical and tame, and other again are altogether wilde, uplandish and agrestial. Those former are much delighted with the familiar friendship, custom and company of men, but these can in no wise brook or endure them, but rather keep their trade of Honey-making in old trees, caves, holes, and in the ruders and rubbish of old walls and houses."

Doubtless, Columella was right where, speaking of different kinds of bees, he says: - "But, nevertheless, the angry disposition of bees of a better character is easily mitigated and softened by the continual intervention of those who take care of the beehives; for they grow quickly tame when they are often handled."

One going among bees should be slow and deliberate, making no quick motion; and there is no doubt that bees tolerate some people and will not be approached by others. It has been suggested that the emanations of the body are the cause of their dislike, which the following story told by Bevan would seem to prove. "M. de Hofer, Conseilleur d'État du Grand Duc de Baden, had for years been a proprietor and admirer of bees and rivalled Wildman in the power he possessed of approaching them with impunity. He would at any time search for the queen, and taking hold of her gently, place her on his hand. But he was unfortunately attacked with a violent fever and long confined by it. On his recovery, he attempted to resume his favorite amusement among the bees, returning to them with all that confidence and pleasure which he had felt on former occasions; when, to his great surprise and disappointment, he discovered that he was no longer in possession of their favor; and that instead of being received by them as an The Sting old friend, he was treated as a trespasser; nor was he ever able after this period to perform any operation with them, or to approach their precincts, without exciting their anger. Here then it is pretty evident that some change had taken place in the Counsellor's secretions in consequence of the fever, which, though not noticeable by his friends, was offensive to the olfactory nerves of the bees."

There is no mistaking a bee's intentions when it has made up its mind to sting.

It leaves the even tenor of its way, flies straight at you, buzzes angrily about your head for a moment, and then grips you. It clings fast with its feet in a most disagreeable and suggestive manner. and if you succeed in brushing it off before it stings, it is immediately felt in another place, and before you can strike it there in all probability it has struck you, and you dash it away; and if you are wise instantly follow the advice of Butler, which, though given in 1609, is still timely: - "When you are stung, or any in the company, yea, though a bee have stricken but your clothes, especially in hot weather, you were best be packing as fast as you can : for the other bees smelling the rank savor of the poison cast out with the sting, will come about you as thick as hail." And further he adds: - "Then is there no way to appease them but flight: the more you resist, the fiercer they are. They are like unto incorrigible shrews: there is no dealing with them but by patience, though when they sting they are sure to have the worst. For the wound endangereth neither life nor limb : two nights' sleep will take away the swelling, and two minutes the pain, unless it be in very rheumatic bodies: of which sort I have known some so swollen and disfigured with that little stroke that you could scarce know them by their favour in five or six days after." 66 Individual bees differ as much as colonies in the quality of their temper, and while one may be altogether bunctious" others from the same hive may not be so at all. ram- When one entertains bees on the window-pane there is good opportunity to observe the readiness with which they resent a fancied menace.

Of all bees honey-bees seem the most irascible. Touch one and quick as a flash out comes its sting.

They even gather bees they meet on their prison pane in a deadly embrace, the two strangers locking arms, so to speak, and politely driving at each other with their stings. But when this little neighborly greeting has been exchanged, if one does not succeed in piercing the other they frequently part friends, like men after a duel, one feeding the other in the most hospitable manner.

All the wickedness in a bee seems to be concentrated in its sting end; its heart may be good, but its sting is utterly bad and will fulfil its vengeful desires even when separated from the bee If a sting which has been newly extracted, either by the bee itself in a destructive paroxysm of anger, or by the operator after her ladyship the bee has been duly and mercifully chloroformed, be placed upon the finger, a very curious result follows.

Watching the organ through a magnifying lens one is interested in the involuntary muscular movements, but presently a very suggestive prick calls attention to the pointed end, and lo! this isolated sting is at work upon its own account. It has managed to insert the barbs into your skin and, with all its powers rallied for one last act of requital, is driving the weapon home!

This is amusing until you undertake to extract the venomous atom in time to avoid the poisoning scene in the last act, when you find the barbs have done their work also, and The Sting before you can get free you have received a copiously poisoned sting, as fine a one as ever was administered by a living bee.

There is something almost uncanny in the way this unconnected thing moves about and wreaks its vengeance. It "continues on life," as the "Arabian Nights" would say, apparently for the sole purpose of hurting somebody. It will not attempt to enter a hard object, but the touch of your finger seems to arouse its old passion, and rallying its dying forces it "gives it to you" once again. These "posthumous works of the bee," as they have been called, surpass all other posthumous works in the vividness of impressions they create.

While bee-poison is volatile and easily soluble in water, it is preserved by honey, and one occasionally has the unique, if not pleasant experience of a sting in the mouth from having partaken of honey in which a bee had been accidentally incarcerated and its sting left behind. In spite of her very effective weapon, the skilful beekeeper can handle my lady, the bee, bare handed and with perfect safety, human intelligence having circumvented the wise little bee, no doubt persuading her it is for her own good that man manipulates her hives and carries off her honey. Who can blame the bees for using their weapons when occasion requires? No other insect has such treasure to defend, no other possesses a hoard of sweets so abundant and so greatly desired by other creatures. Their stings are their one means of self-defence, and no wonder they understand and profit by them.

While an occasional bee-sting is a matter of no consequence to most people, to be stung many times at once may be a very serious affair.