36 B.C. Entomological Society. 



case lueutiiiiied in ilr. TocM's paiier, in liis Oregon cas* where the disease, if it 

 proved to be, held over for three years, is quite possible. Enipt.v hiiuey-tius of 

 imported hoiie.v may also spread the disease. 



(A long and intere.sting disoussion on the above lines jn-oceeded for some time, 

 in which all the members .ioined. In the evening session the discussion again began 

 regarding the possibility of introducing foul-brood, with the result that a resolution 

 was moved -and pas.setl relating to the issue. This resolution will be seen on 

 page 74.) 



Mr. Taylor: While we are on the sulyect of bee-diseases. I would like to bring 

 up the question of the possibility of the germs of fire-blight {liacillii-s ainylovonts) 

 '■ carrying over " in hives during winter. I may say that at a recent meeting at 

 Ivelowna a discussion on the above subject was begun and it caused quite a stir. 

 The growers thought that the disease was spread from the hives to tlie tree.'i in the 

 spring, and if this was so it meant another way of combating the disease which 

 during the last year has been very destructive to our orchards in the Okanagan. 

 1 told the meeting in Kelowna that I would bring the matter to the attention of the 

 entomologists in session in January to determine what was known in the matter. 

 Can any one offer any sugge-stions? 



Mr. Lyne : I would like to remark that there is an excuse for the growers in 

 their supposition that there is a possibility of carrying over the disea.se in wax or 

 honey in bee-hives. It is well known, of course, that the bees are the active agents 

 in the spring for spreading blossom-infection ; consequently it may be so as the.v 

 suggest. I am not prepared to say. The question may prove to me a scientific 

 problem which may be of use. 



Mr. Taylor : I may say that I asked Mr. Brittain when he was with us in the 

 Okanagan, and the question was new to him. I placed ray bees at his disposal, but 

 he had no time. At any time I slio\i!d be glad to place my bees at the disposal of 

 any who would care to work (.iit tlio jiroblem. 



Mr. Robinson: I have no data on this point, neither have I heard the question 

 asked before. I can offer no suggestions on the point beyond the fact that, if this 

 disease you mention can be carried over in bee-hives during winter, the same treat- 

 ment as D. A. Jones some thirty years ago applied to foul-brood colonies may be 

 applicable. In this case germs are carried over and all attempts at disinfection 

 were useless. The starvation cure, however, proved successful. This consisted of 

 shaking the bees into new liives and starving them. When some dropped it was 

 supposed the germs or spores of the disease were liilled. The bees were tlien 

 returned to tlieir quarters. 



Mr. Taylor: In view of the disconnected knowledge on this point I believe some 

 kind of investigation would be in place. I will therefore place the following resolu- 

 tion before yon. (This resolution Avill be found on page 73.) 



Mr. Day: We will now adjourn for lunch, meeting liere at 2 p.m. this afternoon. 



THE TENT-CATERPILLAR. 



By Tom Wilson. 



The species of tent-caterpillar that we have with us in the Lower Fraser Valley 

 is probably that known as Malacosmna ernsa, which we are informed is only a 

 variety species from M. ditistria. Its appearance in the valley is periodical. It is 

 subject to years of ups and downs in the matter of prevalence. The same occurs 

 with a great many insects, and this periodical occurrence of insect-life, in abnormal 

 numbers or otherwise, is, of course, influenced by natural causes, climate, fung\is, 

 bacterial diseases, or insect parasites being the main causes. 



The stud.y of the real and actual causes under strictly local conditions and 

 relative to this species of tent-caterpillar has not up till now been proceeded with, 

 and I do not propose dealing with these issues in this paper. Suffice it to say that 

 the tent-caterpillar, a familiar insect to all of the farmers in the valley, varies in 



