166 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF 



INSECT ENEMIES OF THE HONEY-BEE. 



THE BEE-MOTH OR WAX-WORM,— Gallerea cercana, Fabr. 

 [Fig. 92.] 



Large hawk-moths sometimes enter a beehive lor what honey 

 they can get, and even mice have been known to enter a hive; while 

 several parasites live upon the bees themselves. In our own State as I 

 shall presently show there is a large two-winged fly which seizes the 

 bee while on the wing and kills it. But by far the worst enemy the bee- 

 keeper has to contend with, is the Bee-moth (Galleria cereana, Fabr). 

 This insectis so well known to bee men generally, that it scarcely needs 

 a description. It is well illustrated above (Fig. 92) in all its stages, a 

 showing the full grown worm, h the cocoon which it spins', c the chrys- 

 alis to which it changes, d the female with wings expanded, and e the 

 male moth viewed from the side with the wings closed. It suffices to 

 to say, that the color of the moth is dusky gray, the fore wings which 

 are scalloped at the end, being more or less sprinkled and dotted with 

 purple-brown. The female is generally a good deal larger than the 

 male, though there is not so much difference between the sexes as 

 some writers have supposed. The worms which produce these moths 

 are of an ash-gray color above, and yellowish-white beneath. 



The Rev. L. L. Longstroth, in his excellent work on the Honey- 

 bee, which every bee-keeper should possess, has given such a com- 

 plete account of the Bee-moth, that it is only necessary for me to men- 

 tion a few of the most important facts with regard to it, my object 

 being principall} 7 to show that there can be no such thing as a moth- 

 proof hive; that wire-gauze contrivances are of no avail, and that 

 the man who pretends to sell a moth-proof hive, may usually be set 

 down as a know nothing or as a swindler. 



The Bee-moth was first introduced into this county from Europe, 

 about the commencement of the present century, and it was in all 

 probability imported with the common bee-hive. There are two 

 broods of the moth each year, the first brood appearing in May and 

 June, and the second, which is the most numerous, in August. Du- 

 ring the day time, these moths remain quietly ensconced in some an- 

 gle of the hive, but as night approaches, they become active, and the 

 female uses her best endeavors to get into the hive, her object being 

 to deposit her eggs in as favorable a place as possible. Wire-gauze 

 contrivances are of no avail to keep her out, as she frequently com- 

 mences Hying before all the bees have ceased their work. But even 

 if she were entirely prevented from entering the hive, she could yet 



