Airplane Lured Bees

Waterloo Evening Courier
July 12, 1919, Waterloo, Iowa
Airplane Lured Bees.
Popular Bluff, Mo.

One of the largest apiaries in the state was robbed of half its million bees recently when an airplane from Park Field, Tenn., Passed over the bee farm of Martin Polk, near Patterson, Mo., with a large bouquet of magnolias. Scenting the rich fragrance of the flowers, the bees swarmed from their hives and began the pursuit of the sugar-scented airplane, which was on the way to the funeral of a former lieutenant of aviation. Fully a million bees are estimated to have followed the airplane. When last seen the bees, forming a large cloud against the sky, were pursuing the plane in a westward direction. They are known to have followed the plane at least 20 miles, and they have not returned to Popular Bluff yet.

thanks to Historical Honeybee