DISEASES AND ENEMIES OF BEES. 141 



brood in the brightest and best possible condition. Since this, worse 

 cases have succumbed in the same fashion. Abundant corroboration 

 has been given from those who have tried my method, and have suc- 

 ceeded, to their own delight, while some failed ; but the testimony is 

 general, that bees under phenol become more energetic than those 

 that need no treatment. 



''The quantities are easily managed : One ounce of phenol crystals 

 (carbolic acid No. 1 ) will be sufficient for forty pounds of syrup, one- 

 fourth ounce for ten pounds, or one-fourth ounce of liquid carbolic 

 P. B., for nine pounds of syrup, or rather less than three quarts. The 

 carbolic acid should ba added to the syrup when the latter is cool, 

 and mixed equally by careful stirring." 



THE WAX-MOTH (Galleria mellonella Linn.) is an unwelcome 

 guest among the bees and rarely gains admission to a strong colony. 

 The weak colonies are chosen places for the deposition of its eggs. 

 One of the highly commendable features of the Italian bee is that it 

 ever and always repels the encroachments of this moth. This moth 

 deposits its eggs in the comb, on propolis, or sometimes without the 

 hive and the young worms are left to run the gauntlet at the entrance. 

 The intelligent bee-keeper will keep his colonies strong, will permit 

 no superfluous comb to remain in the hive, and none to lie carelessly 

 exposed around the apiary for the reception of eggs. His trained eye 

 will be ever on the alert for evidences of the presence of the moth in 

 and about the hives. His constant care and supervision of his bees, 

 together with their strength and activity, make the moth of little con- 

 sequence in the well-kept apiary. 



Ants, wasps, spiders, toads, lizards and mice prey upon the 

 workers; the amount of loss is never great. The home of the of- 

 fenders can generally be located near by and the occupants routed. 

 Birds are not so destructive as was formerly supposed. 



