233 



tion is one in which the danger of dispersal of the 

 parasite amongst many stocks is quite real. 



Drones. 



An important agent in the spread of acarine disease 

 is the drone. Drones readily become infested with 

 Tarsonemus woodi, and as has already been pointed 

 out with regard to workers, may be highly charged with 

 migatory parasites whilst still capable of flight. In their 

 habits of passing from hive to hive, therefore, there are 

 significant possibilities of dissemination of Tarsonemus 

 from even one stock over very large areas covering 

 many apiaries. A consideration of this fact shows at 

 once how in simimer the disease may become established 

 in a short space of time over a whole district. The 

 problem of drone control, both in the matter of pro- 

 duction, and of entrance to hives, assumes a new im- 

 portance, and it will be evident that intelligent bee- 

 keeping generally is more and more essential for the 

 proper control of disease in the adult bee. It is im- 

 questionable that in those areas where the disease is 

 present in summer the control of drones is fundamental 

 for eradication, no matter what other preventive or 

 remedial measures are adopted. 



Drifting Beex. 



As far as this disease is concerned, there is no 

 question but that everything which tends to isolation 

 of individual stocks favours freedom from disease. 

 Consequently it seems worth while pointing out that 

 the placing of hives of similar appearance in regular 

 rows conduces to the mixing of bees of different stocks 

 by drifting or otherwise. So long as disease is absent 

 from the apiary this is a matter of small importance. 

 But since the beekeeper unfortunately, in the early 

 stages of disease, cannot tell, I would suggest that any 

 arrangement of hives which would reduce the possi- 

 bilities of the bees mingling is worthy of encouragement. 



Sale of Swarms and Trading in Bees generally. 



I consider that the chief agency in the dispersal of 

 this parasite in the early days of its invasion has been 



