Telling the Bees
An old custom whereby a country dwelling with a single hive would avoid bees swarming and leaving the huve simply by the master of the house taking the main door key down to the hive once a year at swarming time, holding the key towards the hive and informing the bees of all the main traumas, problems and highlights of the household throughout the previous months.
I'd say it's impossible to tell if it works!
