250 THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE. 



and thus force her to pass over a space which, by continually 

 narrowing, is more and more easily defended by the bees. 

 These traps are slightly elevated, so that the heat and 

 smell of the hive pass under them through small open- 

 ings, into which the moth can enter, but which do not 

 admit her to the hive. These openings, which resemble 

 the crevices between the common hives and their bottom- 

 boards, she will enter, rather than attempt to force her 

 way through the guards ; and, finding here the nibblings 

 of comb and bee-bread, in which her young can flourish, 

 she deposits her eggs where they may be reached and 

 destroyed. All this is on the supposition that the hive 

 has a healthy queen, and that the bees have no more 

 comb than they can warm and defend ; for if there is no 

 guard, or only a feeble resistance, she will penetrate to 

 the heart of the citadel to deposit her seeds of mischief. 



These blocks have also grooves which communicate 

 Avith the interior of the hives, and which appear to the 

 prowling worm, in search of a comfortable nest, the very 

 place so warm and secure in which to spin its web, 

 and " bide its time." When the hand of the bee-master 

 lights upon it, it finds that it has been caught in its own 

 craftiness. 



All such contrivances, instead of helping the careless 

 bee-keeper, will but give him greater facilities for injuring 

 his bees. Worms will spin undisturbed under the blocks, 

 and moths lay their eggs ; his traps only affording them 

 more effectual aid. If such incorrigibly careless persons 

 will persist in the folly of keeping bees, they should use 

 only smooth blocks, which, by regulating the entrance 

 to the hives, will assist the bees in defending themselves 

 against all enemies which seek admission to their castle.* 



* In Plate V., Fig. 16, a small entrance is shown in front of the hives above the 

 frames. If the lower one is closed, and the bees of a feeble colony are allowed to 



