216 SOME MINUTE ANIMAL PARASITES 



Microscopical examination of the faeces shows that 

 the usual masses of partly digested pollen are present, 

 and in the case of a diseased bee, the degree of 

 digestion is far less complete than in a healthy one. 

 In addition to these pollen masses, in some bees 

 there are large numbers of tiny, oval, shining bodies 

 the spores of the parasite. These spores, if taken 

 up by another bee chiefly in its food or drink, 

 liberate organisms that multiply in the walls of 

 the alimentary canal and gradually destroy them. 

 The inability to produce sufficient digestive juice, 

 and the irritation that the very presence of food 

 in the stomach or intestine produces, leads to the 

 faecal discharge in many cases, and the symptom 

 has been denoted " dry dysentery." This name was 

 given partly because the fluidity of the faeces of bees 

 is less than that of some animals, and partly on 

 account of the rapidity with which the discharge 

 dries and becomes solid. 



/ Sometimes, too, an infected colony will proceed to 

 the exhausting and laborious task of wax-making. 

 In some cases the infected bees are quite unable to 

 produce normal wax, and the comb is very rough, 

 mingled with fasces and undigested pollen ; while on 

 other occasions it darkens considerably, and so 

 appears to be very much older than it really is. 

 As a result of the inability to maintain the usual 

 spotless cleanliness of the hive, there is grave danger 

 of honey, pollen and comb all being contaminated 

 with the disease, and hence access of robber bees 

 should be prevented. Where robbing occurs, the 

 disease spreads with great rapidity, and as weakly 



