The Honey Bee 1427 



Caution 



It is hoped that beekeepers will realize the necessity of exer- 

 cising great care in dealing with this disease. It should be as 

 vigorously treated as a case of smallpox or yellow fever in your 

 own family, and it requires as thorough disinfection. Carelessness 

 or negligence in handling or treating will be sure to cause the 

 spread of the disease in your o\vn and neighboring apiaries. Do 

 not tolerate any weak colonies in your own apiary, as they are 

 liable to be robbed out when honey is scarce in the fields. If they 

 are diseased, the best and safest way will be to kill the few bees 

 remaining, at evening, by brimstoning and afterward burning the 

 combs, frames, quilts, bees, etc. Dispose of all honey, combs, 

 brood, etc., immediately after treating diseased colonies, or any 

 that may have died, as you are never safe with any of these stand- 

 ing around. " Delays are dangerous," especially so in this case. 



Always disinfect the hands, tools, etc., after handling infected 

 colonies, 'by washing in a solution of carbolic acid, using one table- 

 spoonful of pure acid, either liquid or crystals, to one quart of 

 water; or a five per cent solution of formalin is possibly better. 



Management 



This disease is more pronounced early in the season when the 

 bees are breeding heavily, than later, when it frequently abates 

 to some extent. The removal of the queen from a diseased colony 

 is always a check to the disease and can often be used to advantage 

 in handling it. 



Always treat the disease at evening or about sundown, seeing 

 that no stray bees enter healthy colonies. If you have good hives 

 they may be saved and used again, but in no case try to save any 

 of the contents unless there is much honey or wax, which can be 

 saved by cutting out and boiling thoroughly for one hour. It will 

 be well to add a little water to the honey to prevent burning. 

 Do all handling of honey, etc., under cover, where no bees can 

 gain access to it. Do not buy any honey for feeding, as there is 

 great danger of getting that which is infected; the sugar feed is 

 safest. 



Do not exchange combs or supers from hive to hive in apiaries 

 affected with the disease. 



