BEE MOTH. 113 



to support the combs while they, with their contents, 

 are being devoured by the voracious worms. 



Each worm, as soon as arrived at the requisite age, 

 spins a cocoon separate for itself ; but numbers of 

 these are generally joined together, forming large, 

 compact masses ; (as shown in fig. 18) then the 

 work of destruction progresses, till scarcely a vestige 

 of the handiwork of the bees remains. 



The worms, like the human, or rather the inhuman, 

 pillagers of cities, abandon the hive as soon as noth- 

 ing remains to live on or to destroy. 



Queenless colonies and small swarms having newly 

 built combs, are the most liable to their attacks. The 

 new combs are most frequently penetrated to the 

 center, while old comb is more generally traversed at 

 the surface hence the latter is but little injured, 

 while the former is ruined. Young swarms are fre- 

 quently thus destroyed during the first summer ; but 

 an old hive, having a prolific queen, seldom falls a 

 victim to their ravages, particularly if the hives are 

 so constructed as to enable the bees to easily remove 

 all impurities. 



Queenless hives, suffered to remain so for months, 

 become hot-beds for the propagation of worms. 



One or two such hives will, if suffered to remain, 

 breed enough moths to effectually pollute a large 

 apiary. It is like permitting a field of Canada this- 

 tles to go to seed, which, by means of their wings, 

 are sure to be carried to adjoining fields. 



