NOTE ON BEES AND WAX SCALES. 



[Mci'tiiui el the Hnijal Sdcirti/ «f <>u,rnshiuil, lOt/i Mdnli, 1898.] 



Mr. J. Shirley, B.Sc, stated thai while waiting- outside the 

 Beenlei,t>h Post Office recently he noticed a loud hummino- of 

 bees from two shade trees in front of the building, and looking 

 at the trees observed that they were neither in flower nor fruit. 

 The leaves of both trees were covered with the common pink 

 wax scale, and he found that the bees were passing from scale to 

 scale and working at them just as they work in collecting pollen 

 from the anthers of flowers. Plucking some of the leaves he 

 found the scales scraped (juite thin, and the bees were flying 

 away with balls of wax carried as the pollen masses are usually 

 carried. 



During a short discussion Mr. Illidge said that a caterpillar of 

 a moth feeds on these scales ; but he had never heard of bees 

 making use of them, and considered Mr. Shirley's discovery of 

 great importance. 



In connection with this matter Dr. T. L. Bancroft writes : — 

 " I saw the notice in the ('nuricr of your discovery regarding 

 honey bees devouring wax scale. I had myself made the same 

 discovery in a garden near Redclitte in June, 1896, and com- 

 municated the fact to Mr. H. Tryon. With a dozen or so hives 

 of bees, 1 believe any garden might be rid to a great extent, if 

 not wholly, of the wax scale." 



In acknowledging advice as to Dr. Bancroft's discovery, Mr. 

 H. Tryon, on 19th June, 1896, remarks : — " With regard to the 

 information contained in your letter of 11th June, I may say 

 that I was very much interested in your discovery re the relation 

 subsisting between I'eniiilfistes and bees. The fact mentioned is 

 quite new to me, though I have seen the waxen tests torn open 

 as you describe. I am dubious, however, as to bees destroying 

 Cenqihtstes to any extent." 



