Srance du 1er Mars ÎOUi 'M 



M'ilh lùiropenn l)ree(ls in llial il reruscs lo work in llie 

 iijìpor chainbi-r of an Kni^lisli iiive. 



During Ilio winlcr, l^^gyplian îk'vs collt-cl \erv little 

 honey, living on their reserves ; although lùii'opean and 

 bastard l)ees kept in l\gypl conlinue working. 



The daily eleaning llighls lake pUuH' in wintei- al 

 midday, in summer the daily Mights take place in the 

 morning and e\ cning. During the hottest part of llie year, 

 very little aetixity is to he ohserxcd at michhiy. 



Bastai'd hees \\ith l^gyjilian hlood, as has already 

 lieen said, resemble Egyj)lian bees in colour. Theirhabits, 

 however, are a stiange mixture of the habits ol" both an- 

 cestors. I'\)r instance some l\gyplian (ìoldbee bastai'ds 

 of mine, on recjueening produced over 40 (jiieens. These 

 same bastards have tolerated their drones throughout 

 the year ; like their American ancestors lh(\v |)roduce 

 j)r()j)()lis and seal u\) their hive with it, and they ha\(' 

 l)een actively collecting honey in winter. These bastards 

 have also the valuable instinct of working in the u|)])er 

 storey ol" the hi\e. They I'orm laiger coniniunilies than 

 the Egy[)tian l)ee. and are in my ()|)inion a great impi-o- 

 vement on the l^gyplian bee. 



The chief enemies of the l^gyplian bee are the Oiit'ii- 

 tal Horni'l and the two W'axnioths. 



The hornet is the most serious of tln-se. It becomes 

 especially abunchiiit in the autumn, and then a|)pears lo 

 s])ecialise on bt-es I'oi- I'ood. lU'foic August 1st xcry lew 

 hornets come to the hi\es, but at this dale sonn> other 

 source of food must cease, causing them to turn their 

 attention to bees. Xatixc l)ee-keepei"s usually employ 

 labour to kill hornels near the hives. The betlei- way is 

 ül" course to look Ibi' and to deslrov hornels nesls. The 



