3io 



BEES— MANAGEMENT AND CARE OF. 



endeavors to get into the hive, her object 

 being to deposit her eggs in as favorable 

 place as possible. Wire-gauze contriv- 

 ances are of no avail to keep her out, as 

 she frequently commences flying before 

 all the bees have ceased their work. But 

 even if she were entirely prevented from 

 entering the hive, she could yet deposit 

 her eggs on the outside, or by means of 

 her extensile ovipositor, thrust them in 

 between the slightest joint or crack, and 

 the young worms hatching from them 

 would readily make their way into the 

 hive. The moment the worm is hatched 

 it commences spinning a silken tube for 

 its protection, and this tube is enlarged 

 as it increases in size. This worm cuts 

 its channels right through the comb, feed- 

 ing on the wax, and destroying the young 

 bees on its way. When full-grown, it 

 creeps into a corner of the hive or un- 

 der some ledge at the bottom, and forms 

 a tough white cocoon, of silk intermin- 

 gled with its own black excrement. In 

 due time the mouth emerges from this 

 cocoon. 



A worm-infested hive may generally be 

 known by the discouraged aspect which 

 the bees present, and by the bottom- 

 board being covered with pieces of bee- 

 bread mixed with the black gunpowder- 

 like excrement of the worm. It must 

 not be forgotten, however, that in the 

 spring of the year pieces of bee-bread at 

 the bottom of a hive, when not . mixed 

 with the black excrement, is not necessa- 

 rily a sign of the presence of the worm, 

 but, on the contrary, may indicate indus- 

 try and thrift. If a hive is very badly 

 infested with the worm, it is better to 

 drive out the bees and secure what honey 

 and wax there may be left, than to pre- 

 serve it as a moth breeder to infest the 

 apiary. If put into a new hive, the bees 

 may do something, and if they do not, 

 there is no loss, as they would have per- 

 ished, finally, from the ravages of the 

 worm. 



It should invariably be borne in mind 

 that a strong stock of bees is ever capa- 

 ble of resisting, to a great extent, the at- 

 tacks of the worm; while a starved or 

 queenless swarm is quite indifferent to its 

 attacks. In a common box hive, a good 

 way to entrap the worms after they are 

 once in the hive, is to raise the front upon 

 two small wooden blocks, and to put a 



piece of woolen rag between the bottom 

 board and the back of the hive. The 

 worms find a cozy place under the rag, in 

 which they form their cocoons, and may 

 there may be found and killed, from time 

 to time. Much can be done in the way 

 of prevention, by killing every morning 

 the moths which may be found on the 

 outside of the hides. At this time of the 

 day they allow themselves to be crushed,, 

 with very good grace; and if two or 

 three be killed each morning, they would 

 form an important item at the end of the 

 year, especially when we recollect that 

 each female is capable of furnishing a 

 hive with at least 300 eggs. In conclu- 

 sion, we give it as our conviction that im- 

 munity from the ravages of this bee- 

 worm can only be guaranteed where a 

 thorough control is had of both hive and 

 bees; hence the importance of the mov- 

 able frame hive. 



BEES, Swarming, Artificial vs. Natural. 

 — Which is the best ? It is probably well 

 known to all who have heard of the mov- 

 able comb hive that one of the advan- 

 tages claimed for it is that of being able 

 with it to divide your bees, or, in other 

 words, to swarm them artificially. Those 

 who are using the old box hives, nail 

 kegs, hollow logs, etc., sometimes ques- 

 tion whether an artificial swarm is as good 

 as a natural one. Actual trial of the two 

 modes, under equal circumstances, will 

 alone decide. Last year the writer tried 

 both thoroughly, and could see difference 

 in results. There are several things in 

 favor of artificial swarming. 1st. All 

 swarms can be made early, and it is well 

 known that an early swarm is worth far 

 more than a late one. 2d. Swarms can 

 be made at will — in other words, a per- 

 son does not have to watch his bees all 

 spring, and then have some of his best 

 hives fail of swarming, or lose their 

 swarms. This feature of the moveable 

 comb hive renders bee keeping more 

 pleasant and safe to the business man 

 who wishes to keep bee hives enough to 

 supply his family with honey. How 

 many have been deterred from keeping 

 bees by the trouble of watching them 

 during swarming time, and then of being 

 taken from their business to hive them 

 after they are swarmed? 3d. Artificial 

 swarms when made properly are more apt 

 to remain than natural swarms. 4th. 



