26o 



(c) that the bees (like ordinary bees) cannot hinder 

 the entrance of mites nor prevent their breed- 

 ing and obtaining sustenance within, but that 

 no pathological results follow. In other words 

 that, whilst not suffering from the effects of 

 the presence of mites themselves these bees 

 are potential nurseries of the disease for other 

 and weaker bees, i.e., they are true ''carriers " 

 o/ the disease. 



With regard to this last suggestion, it is well to 

 mention that apart from experimental breeding a 

 possible line of natural development which may take 

 place is the evolution of a bee race of the type approach- 

 ing the character referred to. Under present conditions, 

 when almost all European bee races are being intro- 

 duced to Great Britain, it is difficult to tell what the 

 result in qualities will be of the heterogeneous hybrids 

 that are being established in the apiaries of the general 

 community. It may be good or bad; nobody knows. 

 But until resistent strains tolerating the parasite pre- 

 ponderate, these can only be " nurseries of the disease." 

 Hence we must continue our efforts at extermination 

 of the parasite. 



It may be that no proof exists regarding any of the 

 forementioned (a), (b), (c) characteristics, but that 

 the queens are exceptionally prolific, and possibly the 

 bees are exceptionally robust, and that they thus breed 

 faster than disease destroys. In other words, they are 

 bees of the character emphasised above (paragraph 1 

 of this section), but which cannot be described as 

 " immune " to the disease in any sense of the word. 



Radical treatment of diseased Stocks, 



Until the amount of disease present in the country 

 has been materially reduced by such methods as are 

 here outlined, a certain amount of radical treatment of 

 diseased stocks is essential. There are two periods in 

 the year when with comparatively small loss, if any, to 

 the beekeeper, diseased bees should be destroyed. If 

 at the end of the working season, stocks are found 

 showing crawling symptoms and knowTi to be heavily 



