Liz Day asks about animals plundering bees' nests.  Are they stung?
Does it hurt?  I suspect that part of the answer, at least with larger
animals, is that the prize is worth the cost.  However, with smaller
animals they may behave in such a way that they do not provoke attack.
 
The following short extract from Ted Hooper's book, "Guide to Bees and
Honey," (p 100) is interesting:
 
"Some six years ago I saw a colony in October without a mouse guard, and
noticed that pieces of comb were being pushed out of the entrance.  I
lifted up the brood chamber and looked underneath, and there were five
long grey tails hanging down.  I put the brood chamber down again and
gave it a kick.  Five jet propelled mice came flying out of the entrance
with several very angry bees attached to each.  It is quite extraordinary
that the bees did not attack them until I did something which released
the attacking impulse."
 
--
Malcolm Roe                            Phone  :  +44 442 230000 ext 4104
Crosfield Electronics Ltd              Fax    :  +44 442 232301
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