FARM PESTS 35 



Wings, which is a very good description. Fortunately 

 they are more curious than harmful. I also give a drawing 

 of the Bee-louse {Braula cceca) which lives among the 

 hair of the thorax of queens and drones. It is the only 

 species of its kind. (See Plate 7.) 



The Foul-Brood, or Bee-Pest, which kiUs the young bees 

 in their cells, is caused by a bacterial disease among the 

 larvse and pupae, known to science as Bacillus pluion, and 

 its presence is indicated by a characteristic gluey smeU, 

 The larvse appear yellow or transpaient instead of the 

 gUstening white of the healthy ones. All infected sections 

 and hives should be charred over with a painter's lamp 

 and be scrupulously cleaned. 



The dreaded Isle of Wight disease is caused by a 

 microscopic animal parasite, a protozoon called Nosema 

 apis. It carries out its Ufe-cycle within the bee itself, 

 causing them to sicken off and die. Here again the most 

 scrupulous cleanliness both in and about the hive, and 

 particularly of the drinking water, will lessen the chances 

 of infection. Where a colony has to be cleared off, it should 

 be burnt, so that the disease may not be transmitted to 

 other hives ; strong liquid ammonia will put the bees to 

 a merciful end in the first instance. The diseased hive 

 should also be charred over inside for the same reason. 

 Various drugs have been tried as preventives and cure of 

 the Isle of Wight disease, the bees taking it in their candy, 

 but an absolute specific has not yet been found. Recently 

 sprays of oxygenated water have been tried with some 

 success, but the best treatment of all to my mind is to 

 place the hives in such a position that they wiU get the 

 maximum amount of light, particularly sunshine, which 

 contain the health-giving rays that will enable the bees 

 to resist the disease in the first onset. 



We now pass from live-stock (and hive-stock) to field 

 crops. Here I shall take one outstanding example in 

 some detail, viz, that of the Turnip Moth, as showing in 

 what way the pest nuisance comes about. We wiU, 



