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 Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP2 7RH, UK E-mail : [log in to unmask] ------------------------------------------------------------------------