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though they are present also in the hives, on the bees, etc. The initial treatment 

 of both diseases is the same. It is based on the removal and destruction of all in- 

 fected matter. The bees should be shaken into a clean hive containing frames 

 fitted with inch-wide starters of foundation, the old combs melted down (boiling 

 for an hour destroys the bacteria), and the old hives thoroughly disinfected by 

 scorching. A good way to disinfect the hives is to tier them, one on top of an- 

 other, and place at the bottom of the chimney so formed a heap of straw or ex- 

 celsior on which a little kerosene or gasoline is poured ; then light the straw, and 

 after the flames have thoroughly scorched the inside of the hives, they should be 

 extinguished by placing a cover on top of the hives. 



The black bee is very susceptible to European foul brood, but the Italian bee 

 is more or less resistant. In an apiary where this disease has occurred it is, there- 

 fore, important to requeen the colonies with Italian queens. Each year after this 

 is done queens and drones may be bred from the colonies that have proved most 

 resistant to the disease, Blacks and Italians are equally susceptible to American 

 foul brood. 



The greater part of Eastern Quebec appears to be still free from European 

 fouJ brood. It is, therefore, important that bees should not be imported into this 

 region from regions that are known to be infected, without a guarantee that the 

 apiary from which they come is entirely free from the disease. 



NOTES OIM THE LIFE HISTORY AND CONTROL OF THE 

 BE^-MOTH OR WAX WORM 



By J. I. Beaulne, Ottawa. 



A serious hindrance to the keeping of bees in Quebec, as well as in the other 

 provinces of Canada, is the bee-moth (Galleria mellonella). Under the name 

 of wax-worm, this pest is known to every up-to-date bee keeper ; but it is not gen- 

 erally known that these wax-worms develop into moths or "millers". The larvae 

 or caterpillars feed upon stored comb and honey, as well as combs in the hive oc- 

 cupied by bees, makes it a difficult pest to fight with success. 



When and how this pest was introduced into Quebec is not known, nor have 

 we any notes on the location of the first infestation. It is very evident that the 

 dissemination has been complete, for there are but few places where bees are kept 

 that are free from this pest. 



What the wax-worm is costing the bee industry of the province is hard to de- 

 termine, the value of bees, honey and wax varying very much in the different lo- 

 calities. Often the loss of colonies is attributed to other causes, and very often 

 the presence of the bee moth is not detected. 



The adult bee-moth is about 5-8 of an inch in length. The moth when at rest 

 appears ashy gray in colour, but the posterior third of each front wing is bronze- 

 colored, and this wing is thickly covered with fine scales which rub off easily when 

 the moth is touched. The body is brown, the shade varying, with a covering of 

 scales. The male is slightly smaller than the female. 



The moths emerge entirely at night. They seek at once some protected place 

 in which to expand their wings and dry, and by the next eight or ten hours they 

 are able to fly about. l*lie male moths emerge a few days earlier than the females, 

 and are much longer lived. Tiie moths mate at night, very soon after their emer- 



