172 



TIIE GENESEE FARMER. 



THE BEE MOTH. 



There are two species of tliis insect — Gallcria 

 aheria, the Honey Moth, (fig. 1,) the maggots of 

 which feed upon the honey, and which is more 

 generally known in Europe tlian here, and Oalleria 

 ceranea. the Iloneycoinb Moth, (fig. 4,) which is 

 wcH known as the greatest enemy the American 

 bee-keeper has to contend with. In its adult state 

 it is a winged moth, measuring from the head to 

 the tip of its closed wifigs from tive-eighths to 

 three-fourths of an inch, and its wings expand from 

 oae and one-tenth to one and four-tenths inches. 

 The male is of a dusty gray color ; the female is 

 much larger, and darker colored than the male. 

 There are two broods in the year. Some moths 

 of the first brood make their appearance towards 

 the end of AprU, or early in May. Those of the 

 seooad brood are most abundant in August. By 

 day they remain quiet on the sides, or in the 

 crevices, of the bee-house ; but, if disturbed at 

 this time, they open their wings and fly quickly 

 away, so that it is difficult to seize them. In the 

 evening, they take wing when the bees are at rest, 

 and hover round the hive, till, finding the entrance, 

 tkey go in and lay their eggs. Those that are pre- 

 vented from entering the house by the bees, or any 

 other cause, lay their eggs on the outside, or on the 

 stand, and the little, worm-like caterjjillars (fig. 2) 

 hatched therefrom easily find their way into the hive 

 tlirough tlie cracks, or gnaw a passage for themselves 

 under the edge of it. These caterpillars, at first, are 

 not tliicker than a thread, and have sixteen legs ; 

 their bodies are soft and tender, and of a yellowish- 

 white color. "Weak as they are, and unprovided with 

 any natural means of defence, they are taught, by 

 instinct, how to shield themselves against the ven- 

 geanc« of the bees, and pa.s3 safely and unseen in 

 every direction through the waxen cells, which they 

 break down and destroy. Beeswax is their only 

 food, and they prefer old to new comb. As soon 

 m they are hatched they begin to spin, and each 

 one makes for itself a tough, silken tube through 

 the waxen cells, wherdin it can easily turn round, 



and move backwards and forwards at pleasure, 

 During the day they remain concealed in theii 

 sUken tubes, but at night, when the bees can not 

 see them, they come partly out, and devour the 

 wax within tlieir reach. As they increase in size, 

 they lengthen and enlarge their dwellings, anc 

 cover them over with a coating of grains of wax 

 mixed with their own castings. Protected by thii 

 coating from the stings of the bees, tliey work theii 

 way through the combs, gnaw them to pieces, an( 

 fill the hive with their filthy webs, till at last thi 

 discouraged bees are compelled to abandon thei 

 perishing broods and wasted stores, and leave thei 

 desolated hive to the presence of the spoilers 

 These caterpillars grow to an inch or more i 

 length, and come to their full size in about thre 

 weeks. They then spin oval cocoons, (fig. 3. 

 cliange into pupa in them, and these are often foun 

 clustered together in great numbers in the top o 

 the hive. 



Strong and healthy swarms, provided with I 

 constant supply .of food near the house, are le; 

 liable to suffer from the moth than small and wea 

 ones, as the bees are then better able to guard tl 

 entrance of the hive against the moth. There a; 

 several ways mentioned by writers on bees of ge 

 ting rid of this pest of the hive. But the mo 

 convenient, and least troublesome, perhaps, is ■ 

 place shallow vessels containing water, mixed wi; 

 vinegar and sweetened with honey or molasst 

 near the entrance of the hive. Early in the ev 

 ning, as soon as the bees are gone to rest, is tl 

 time. A light may be placed near by, to attra 

 them, and, as they are fond of sweets, numbe 

 will be found drowned in the vessels. 



AgriculT!i>.e in Ohio. — The editor of the Oht 

 Cultivator disproves the truth of the oft-repeatii 

 assertion that the "wheat crop of Ohio has faUi 

 off one-half." He shows from statistics that, f 

 the last four years, " the wheat crop has been ten^ 

 ing upwards, and this, too, in the face of its inse 

 enemies, before unknown, and also in tlie face 

 the fact that while the early settlers occupied on 

 the best lands, the later fields have been made frc 

 the second and third-rate lands, which reduces t 

 average per acre, without involving the farmer 

 the censure of mismanagement." 



The same is true of the corn crop, and of li 

 stock. The agriculture of the State has impro7< 

 ratlier than deteriorated. 



CoTTOir Seed gives 33 per cent, of oil suitable i 

 machinery. The od-cake remaining is nearly eqi 

 to linseed-cake for fattening stock, or for manun 



