Bee Diseases and Enemies 



411 



to the loss of bees in the spring due to the fact that the 

 adults have been weakened by poor wintering and die faster 

 than they can be replaced by emerging brood. This is 

 therefore discussed in the chapter on wintering. 



ENEMIES OF BEES 



Most books on beekeeping devote considerable attention 

 to the enemies of bees, of which there are several. Since they 

 are relatively unimpor- 

 tant, however, the dis- 

 cussion will here be con- 

 fined to the two species of 

 wax-moth. These do no 

 damage to strong healthy 

 colonies of bees properly 

 cared for, and if seen in 

 the hive they indicate weakness. This weakness may be 

 due to queenlessness or lack of stores, but the most common 

 cause is probably a brood disease. Beekeepers frequently 

 attribute the loss from disease to some other cause and wax- 

 moths are most frequently blamed for the losses observed. 



The wax-moth (Galleria mellonella). 



The larvae of this moth (Figs. 170, 171 and 172) destroy 

 combs by burrowing through them, constructing tunnels of silk 



FlG ' 17 ' ~ 



FIG. 171. Wax-moth, male. Enlarged. 



