Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

358 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTAs summer wanes, the bees turn to the asters,catnip, fireweed, fleabane, heartsease, and other latebloomingplants. Wherever there is a buckwheatfield they will be found in their glory. Later theywork in the turnip patches. Some of the manyspecies of goldenrod yield nectar until well on inOctober.Outfit.—The equipment for bee hunting isvery simple. You will need a small box or two,same thinned honey or sugar-water (scented or notas you choose), a few pinches of flour in a littlebox or bag (or, preferably, a small tube of artist'swhite paint and a camel's-hair brush). A watch,compass, and perhaps an opera glass, should be takenalong, particularly if you are an amateur; and donot omit a lunch, for you are likely to be out allday.As for boxes, a couple of half-pound candy boxeswill do; but it is better to make a special one forthe purpose. This is merely a light wooden boxabout four inches cube, without top or bottom, butv/ith a glass slide at the top working in saw-cutsin the sides. About an inch below these saw-cuts,and parallel with them, are narrow strips to supporta little feeding tray, which is about an inch and ahalf wide, just long enough to fit inside the box, andof such height that itstop will come within a halfinch of the glass slide. Do not use an old cigarbox for material, since bees, like other insects, detestthe odor of tobacco. Some boxes are madewith sliding wooden bottoms, and others are double,hinged together, with a wooden slide between; butthe simpler one here described will do very well.Bee Guides.—Now, early in the morning of awarm, still day, go where there are nectar-bearingflowers. The place must be at least a mile, preferablytwo miles, away from any house where tamebees are kept, or you will be annoyed by them. Fewbees go more than two miles from home in search ofhoney.