VARIETIES OF BEES. 71 



ITALIAN BEES. 



The United States department of agriculture in 1860 introduced 

 these bees from Italy, and through the energy of this department 

 they have been widely spread. For this reason they are well and 

 favorably known. 



The chief distinction in the appearance of this bee is the color. 

 The hairs spoken of previously are present, but are yellow ; the first 

 three segments of the abdomen are for the most part tawny yellow. 

 Leather or tan colored is a term sometimes used for this shade upon 

 this bee. The first rhag of the abdomen faces toward the front and 

 the band upon this may be overlooked. The second segment is 

 smooth yellow in front ; this is hairless, because it passes beneath the 

 segment in front of it when the body contracts. The central portion 

 of this segment is covered with yellow hairs and the body at this 

 point is yellow. The back portion of .this segment is glossy black 

 and covered with very fine hairs. The markings of the third ring are 

 the same as the second. The fourth and filth segments are black, but 

 covered with yellowish hairs. The sixth segment is black, and bears 

 very few hairs. The queens vary in color. The one shown on plate 

 ii (page 70) was a beautiful queen, abdomen yellow, with small 

 brown spots upon upper median line of each segment of abdomen. 

 The drones are smaller than the drones of the black bee and darker 

 than the Italian workers. 



These bees are usually gentle, bear manipulation, and remain firmly 

 upon the comb when this is being handled. They fight hard, long 

 and successfully for their homes; but this strength and this tenacity 

 are sometimes turned in the wrong direction, and these same defend- 

 ers become bold and persistent robbers of others' gains. They repel 

 the moth with success. These bees are hard workers, at it early and 

 late, excellent honey collectors, but care is required to avoid too great 

 attention on the part of the bees in rearing young with the surplus 

 stores. 



CYPRIAN BEES. 



A few colonies of Cyprians are to be found in this state, but not 

 in representative numbers nor in numbers sufficient to draw conclu- 

 sions upon them in this climate. Their temper is anything but cheer- 

 ful when thoroughly aroused ; their use of their weapon of defense is 

 excelled by none of the varieties previously mentioned. This fault 

 has prevented their general adoption. This variety has the largest 

 honey record per hive for a single season. They winter well and are 

 good defenders. Their comb is better for extracted than for comb 

 honey. They fill the cups so full that cap and honey touch, giving 

 the comb a watery appearance. They build comb well. They are 



