188 DISEASES OF BEES. 



made the same observation. Mr. Knight supposed 

 the scarcity to arise from a want of males to im- 

 pregnate the queens. 



I shall now proceed to notice the maladies of 

 bees ; and state their causes, symptoms and re- 

 medies, as I have collected them from ancient and 

 modern authors. 



DYSENTERY. 



This malady was attributed by COLUMELLA to 

 the bees extracting and feeding upon honey col- 

 lected from the blossoms of elms and spurge ; he 

 regarded it as an annual distemper. By others 

 it has been ascribed to their feeding too freely 

 upon the vernal honey, from whatever source 

 derived ; or from their being obliged to eat wax, 

 through want of other food, in the early part of 

 the spring. MADAME VICAT supposed it to arise 

 from the feeding upon honey that had been 

 candied, in consequence of the hive being exposed 

 to a severe winter. REAUMUR instituted some 

 experiments to ascertain the cause of dysentery, 

 but they were not satisfactory. 



The presence of this disorder is indicated by 

 the appearance of the excrement, which, instead 

 of a reddish yellow, exhibits a muddy black 

 colour, and has an intolerably offensive smell. 

 Also by its being voided upon the floors, and at 

 the entrance of the hives, which bees, in a healthy 



