After a death in the house it was most important to tell the bees - in some places it should
be the oldest occupant of the house, who must walk round each hive three times and tell
the bees the full name of the dead person three times. If this was not done the bees would
fly away - this fate befell a man in Clifton Hampden in 1926 who neglected to tell them of
the death of his daughter. In some areas it was customary to pin a piece of black crepe to
each hive, and give the bees some of the food from the funeral feast. Bees have been
connected with souls of the dead, which may explain this belief.