148 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Oct. and Nov. 



that even under moderately favourable conditions as to location, 

 the honey bee can and does winter successfully in hollow trees, 

 and possibly in other self-chosen abodes. 



In this connection the following may be of some interest to 

 to the readers of The Ottawa Naturalist. 



On the 1st of July, 1897, a strong colony of bees (first 

 swarm) absconded from the apiary of Mr. S. Short, near Rock- 

 cliffe, and took possession of a hollow tree some quarter of a 

 mile distant. All efforts of the owner to dislodge them proved 

 futile, as the tree, a giant basswood, is some 70 or 80 feet in 

 height and the cavity in which they had located is within 20 

 feet of the top. After clearing out the decayed wood they 

 settled down to business in their lofty abode, and it may reason- 

 ably be supposed that the winter found them fairly comfortably 

 established, with abundance of honey. 



Being much interested in the question as to whether they 

 would survive the intense cold of our climate, I visited the tree 

 early this spring and to my satisfaction I found them apparently 

 as vigorous and strong as ever, judging from the hundreds of 

 bees to be seen passing in and out. 



This condition of affairs still exists, and if the cavity is 

 sufficiently large they have doubtless accumulated a large quan- 

 tity of honey during the past very favourable season, and will 

 therefore be in a better position to withstand another winter. 



That many colonies which have escaped from their owners 

 do perish during the winter months seems almost certain, but in 

 most cases probably from causes with which the climate has 

 comparatively little to do, viz.: The abode too small to accom- 

 modate both brood and stores in sufificient quantity ; small 

 second swarms too weak numerically to gather surplus stores 

 for winter ; loss of queens ; and possibly ravages of the bee 

 moth grub {GaLleria melloriella, L.) 



