REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 243 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



The habits of Blister Beetles were explained to these correspondents, and also the 

 connection of these insects with various species of locusts, upon the eggs of which the 

 larvae are predaceous parasites. 



Specimens of an allied western species, Cantharis cyanipennis, Say, were also 

 sent from Ducks, B.C., by Mr. Hewitt Bostock, who had found them injuring pea- 

 vines in his orchard. 



THE ^FIA^RY. 



As in previous years, the sole management of the Apiary has been in the hands 

 of Mr. John Fixter, the Farm Foreman. The season of 1900 has been a particularly 

 poor one in the greater part of Ontario, but by the exercise of care and attention 

 the colonies were housed in good condition, and as far as can be judged at this date 

 are wintering well. Several meetings of bee-keepers were attended by Mr. Fixter, 

 and addresses were delivered by hira on practical apiculture, which were highly 

 appreciated by his hearers. I myself had the pleasure of attending the annual meeting 

 of the Ontario Bee-keepers' Association, at Niagara Falls, Ont., on December 5 and 6, 

 and by request gave an address upon the Fertilization of Flowers by Bees. There was 

 an interesting discussion upon the question whether bees could injure ripe fruit before 

 the skin was broken ; careful experiments were cited showing that this was- not the 

 case, though bees will sometimes take advantage of a crack in the fruit or of an opening 

 made by wasps or other insects, and will suck the juice. 



REPORT OF MR. JOHN FIXTER. 

 Experiment in Feeding Sugar Syrup for Winter Stores. 



During the winter of 1899, and the spring of 1900, great trouble was experienced 

 with dysentery among bees in many parts of the country. The disease was thought 

 to be due to food or honeydew gathered in the autumn. An experiment was started 

 last autumn with four colonies. All the natural stores were extracted on September 

 17. A Miller feeder was placed in an empty section super, close to the top of the 

 brood frames, any part of the brood frames not covered by the feeder being covered 

 with a propolis quilt cut so as to allow the bees a passage through it or on its side. 

 By keeping the feeder well packed, except where the bees enter, the heat is kept in 

 and at the same time the bees cannot daub themselves with the liquid. In this 

 experiment the bees had a constant supply of syrup. This syrup was made of the best 

 granulated sugar, two parts to one part of water by weight. The water was first 

 brought to a boil, then the boiler was set back on the stove and, the sugar having been 

 poured in, the mixture was stirred until the sugar was all dissolved. This syrup was 

 supplied to the bees at about blood heat. 



At the beginning of the feeding the average weight cif the hives and colonies was 

 .33i pounds, and at the close .52^ pounds. Tt required SO pounds of sugar to make up 

 the weight of the four colonies to carry them through the winter and ."•.pring success- 

 fully. The weight of water used to make the syrup should not be taken into account, 

 as it is afterwards all evaporated during the winter. 



Experiments in Wintering. 1899-1900. 



Experiments in wintering bees were continued in the cellar, in a root-house, in 

 the house apiary and in a pit dug in a hill side. The results were very much the same 

 as those described in the report for 1898 (at page 213). 



16—16* 



