73 



On 23rd September, a small lot (3 lbs.) of driven bees was united to 

 D4, and a new stock, E5, consisting of a small lot of Welsh driven bees 

 with their own queen, was placed between C3 and B2. On 10th October, 

 an Italian queen, supplied by Penna, was caged over D4, the original queen 

 having been removed, and this Italian queen was duly accepted. On the 

 same date it was observed that B2 (the weakest stock in the apiary) had 

 been entirely robbed out. D4 and E5 were fed with sugar syrup and duly 

 wintered down. 



On 28th December, the four Craibstone stocks were examined. Except 

 at Al there were scarcely any dead bees to be seen, either on the ground 

 on the alighting boards, or on the floors of the hives. Even at Al the number 

 of dead bees was not remarkable. 



D4 was opened, and the bees were found active and in good condition 

 generally. 



During the mild days in January 1916 the bees were moving freely and 

 even carrying pollen. The behaviour of C3, E5 and D4 was normal, but 

 Al showed very definite " crawling " symptoms and a high death-rate. 



(c) Isle of Wight Disease on Deesidk 



1. — History of Outbreak. 

 By Nancy M. Robinson, First-Class Expert, B.B.K.A. 



So far as can be ascertained. Isle of Wight disease was not recognised 

 anywhere on Deeside until 1913, when it appears to have broken out in 

 several distinct districts. 



(1) On Lower Deeside, in Culter and the surrounding districts, the 

 disease was at its worst in 1914. 



A. — A's apiary was the first affected. He had bought bees from the 

 South of England in 1912. These stocks did well early in 1913, but they 

 had died out by 1914 after showing all the usual symptoms of Isle of 

 Wight disease. 



In 1913 these stocks had been taken to the heather, east of the Hill of 

 Fare, in the Echt district, and several apiaries there, including two large 

 ones, were badly affected by the same disease in 1914 and 1915. 



During 1913 and 1914 all bee-keepers within a radius of two miles or 

 more from A's apiary found their bees affected or dying off rapidly, and 

 by the end of 1914 there were no bees left in that area. 



Some apiaries were started again but with little or no success, owing 

 to the recurrence of the disease. 



k 



