AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



749 



if clover is yielding, you will probably 

 find them all right. If the brood con- 

 tinues dying while they are storing 

 honey, then the case is serious. 



Bee-Paralysis Again. 



An experienced apiarist has called my 

 attention to a colony of bees (one 

 amongst several which I have taken 

 under my charge), pointing out to me 

 many diseased bees in the colony, which 

 he informs me is called the "unknown 

 bee-disease." 



My attention was attracted to several 

 of these bees upon the alighting-board 

 of the hive. They are black in color, 

 and shining, wings apparently undevel- 

 oped, they being unable to fly, seem 

 gorged with honey, and are constantly 

 offering their proboscides to the healthy 

 bees for sustenance. 



The apiarist, Mr. Thompson, recom- 

 mended killing the queen, and introduc- 

 ing another, as the best method to 

 prevent the disease from spreading 

 through the apiary — which advice was 

 acted upon. A new queen was intro- 

 duced on April 30th ; on May 3rd the 

 colony cast a large swarm, leaving a big 

 population behind. This colony was, 

 before swarming, by far the strongest in 

 the apiary. Can you further enlighten 

 me upon this subject ? R. P. 



Biltmore, N. C, May 4. 



Answek.— Bee-paralysis has been giv- 

 ing more or less trouble for years. For 

 some time it was called " the nameless 

 disease." In the North it does not 

 amount to much. I have had occasional 

 cases for years, and although I paid no 

 attention to it I think it is not on the in- 

 crease. In the South, however, there 

 have been reports of heavy losses from 

 it. 



The cure that you have used — chang- 

 ing the queen — has been reported suc- 

 cessful, also feeding salt, but some who 

 have suffered severely from the disease 

 report that no good comes from such 

 remedies. 



Weak Colonies — Introducing' Queens. 



Mr. Doolittle, in his article on "Man- 

 agement of Weak Colonies," says, after 

 removing the frame with the queen on, 

 if from colony No. 1, spread the frames 

 of No. 2 and insert the frames of No 1 

 alternately. 



1. Is there any danger that the work- 

 ers of No. 1 will destroy the queen of 

 No. 2? 



2. Do the workers destroy a strange 

 queen by stinging her, or always by 

 " balling " her ? 



3. What would you do with a colony 

 of bees that have no queen, and have 

 twice rejected an introduced queen, 

 have laying workers, and when eggs and 

 brood are given them, refuse to build 

 queen-cells and simply rear workers of 

 them? 



As you see, I have lost two queens by 

 trying to provide for them and they per- 

 sistently refuse to rear a queen. I have 

 no queen-cells in other colonies, or I 

 would give them a queen-cell or a young 

 virgin. The only thing they are willing 

 to do is to rear small drones, and that 

 they do to perfection. J. E. A. 



Englewood, 111. 



Answers.— 1. If you had cited the 

 page, I could understand the case more 

 fully, but I may say in general that 

 there is little danger of a queen being 

 hurt by introducing a frame of brood 

 and bees from another colony so long as 

 the bees in the colony outnumber the 

 strangers introduced. At any rate, you 

 may feel quite safe to follow instructions 

 given by Mr. Doolittle, for he always 

 seems to have in mind all the possibili- 

 ties of danger. I don't know of a more 

 careful writer in our ranks, nor one 

 more reliable. 



2. I've known the bees to sting the 

 queen promptly in some cases, but I am 

 rather inclined to the opinion that if 

 left entirely to themselves they ball her 

 to death. Try to pull the bees forcibly 

 away from the queen, or blow Iwt smoke 

 upon the ball, and they are likely to 

 sting her. Blow smoke on them from a 

 distance so that it is cool, or throw the 

 ball of bees in water, and they will let 

 the queen go without hurting her. In 

 the case that I think you have in mind, 

 I think you would find the queen balled 

 with no immediate danger. 



8. I would without hesitation break 

 up the whole business, distribute the 

 combs and bees wherever they would do 

 the most good, and if necessary make a 

 colony later to take their place. You 

 may succeed in getting them to accept a 

 queen and make a good colony of them, 

 but it doesn't pay for the trouble. You 

 will have more bees in the long run to 

 break them up and start another colony. 



A Binder for holding a year's num- 

 bers of the Bee Jouenal we mail for 

 only 50 cents ; or clubbed ^itt the 

 JouBNAL for $1.40. 



