350 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [May ^, 1920, 



Genuine Paralysis Probably Hereditary. 



I have eadeavoured by investigation to prove tliat in a genuine case of 

 paralysis the disease is chiefly the fault of the breeding, either from the queen 

 or the drone side, the progeny not being immune from an infection probably 

 originally caused by the pai'asite yosema apis. Having found a severe 

 genuine case, I tried to improve the bees' condition by the several methods 

 advocated; namely, raising the hive from the bottom board, sprinkling sulphur, 

 and stimulating the colony. At the end of a fortnight's treatment there 

 was no noticeable improvement in thecondition of the affected colony. Then, 

 in company with Mr. E. Abnett, an apiarist at Trunkey Creek, I removed 

 the queen from the affected colony and introduced her to a healthy, populous 

 colony one and a-half miles distant. To the affected colony a queen from 

 healthy Italian stock was introduced. I also took a frame of brood and bees 

 from the affected colony and placed it with healthy stock to see if the disease 

 would be likely to be spread in this manner. In six weeks the colony to 

 which the queen from the affected stock was introduced (-howed severe 

 symptoms of paralysis. The colony which was first affected, and to which the 

 queen from healthy stock had been introduced, showed marked signs of an 

 early recovery — a recovery ultimately completed. Tlie brood and bees from 

 affected stock placed with the healthy colony did not produce the disease. 



For further proof of the source of the disease, a similar experiment was- 

 tried by again removing the queen from the now affected colony, and intro- 

 ducing her to a nucleus. The queen was placed by herself, this time in a 

 disinfected cage, but the result was similar, and the nucleus colonj^ became 

 affected when the progeny of the cjueen appeared. It is therefore evident 

 that the progeny of such a queen shows no resistance to the disease, and that 

 the introduction of a queen from healthy resistant stock will effect a cure. 

 The experiment proves, too, that the introduction of the disease to other 

 colonies is not likely to be caused by interchanging combs (though I 

 consider that it would be bad practice to interchange brood in such a case). 



Regarding the cases of the mild form of the disease, holding the view that 

 the cause of the trouble was a lowered vitality due to something in the food 

 or a poor and stagnant supply of water, I first saw that a good supply of 

 fresh water was made available, and stimulated the colonies daily with warm 

 sugar syrup feed inside the hive. The colonies so treated recovered at an 

 earlier date than those left untreated, but I consider that in such a case it 

 would be a wise precaution if the colonies so affected were marked, and 

 queens introduced from stocks that show resistance. 



Another Obscure Malady. 

 There is yet another malady that affects bees in some localities for a short 

 period, though it cannot at present be classed as having serious results so far 

 as colony losses are concerned, and the symptoins usually disappear within a 

 short period. I have not seen any writer connnent 0!i the malady. The 

 symptoms are peculiar, and somewhat resemble paralysis. The bees appear 

 to lose their equilibrium, and although most of the affected bees can fly a 



