50 A. AND M. COLLEGE APIARY. 



Strong colonies invariably protect themselves from the first attack, but 

 at times assistance \ must be given the bees. Where this is necessary the 

 hive should be protected from them. This may be done by placing the 

 hive on a bench or stand, the legs of which have been treated with tar, 

 machine oil, or with crude petroleum (the latter popularly known as 

 Beaumont oil). If the hive-stand shown in Fig. 10 is used, it can be 

 raised slightly from the ground and a couple of pieces of 2x4 inserted 

 beneath it crossways. At the points of contact of the stand with the 

 cross-pieces a small amount of tar or oil should be placed to prevent the 

 ants passing these, the only accessible points, into the hive. The pro- 

 gressive bee keeper will, of course, see to it that weeds and grass are 

 not allowed to grow close enough to the hives to afford passage ways for 

 the ants. 



Oilier Insects. By far the "most destructive enemy of bees in Texas 

 is the wax-moth, of which there are evidently at least two species. In 

 habits, however, they are essentially alike. The eggs are deposited by 

 the adult moth in empty combs, stored honey, bits of wax, and in the 

 case of weak colonies very frequently in the hive itself. Especially is 

 the latter true in the case of box hives. The egg hatches to a cylindri- 

 cal, grayish-white larva, which feeds upon the comb and wax, usually 

 making a webbed passage along its path of feeding. Especially are they 

 liable to attack stored combs and baits, unless these be placed in practi- 

 cally air tight receptacles. Even then they should be examined from 

 time to time to detect the first possible attack of the moth larvae. In 

 stored comb the larvae can be killed by fumigation with carbon bi-sul- 

 phide ("high-life"). Supers or hive bodies containing the combs to be 

 treated are piled one above another, being made as nearly air-tight as 

 possible. Indeed, for complete success with this method all cracks and 

 crevices must be thoroughly closed. A saucer containing a few table- 

 spoonfuls of the bi-sulphide is now placed on top of the highest row of 

 frames and the entire closed over with a heavy blanket, and allowed to 

 remain for several hours. It should be borne in mind that the carbon 

 bi-sulphide is highly inflammable, and under some conditions explosive, 

 hence care must be taken in its use and handling to avoid proximity to 

 fire of any kind, lighted lamps, lanterns, pipes, stoves, etc. A better 

 plan during summer, when combs are found to be infested is to place 

 them over a strong colony of bees, and the latter will make quick work 

 of the moth larvae. In short, this is the best place to keep such combs, 

 supers, etc., at all times. Strong colonies, in good frame hives, are 

 rarely if ever attacked by the wax-moth. The intelligent and progressive 

 bee keeper who uses up-to-date methods has nothing to fear from this 

 pest. The destructiveness of this pest is mentioned in the introduction 

 to this bulletin on a previous page, which see. 



A large species of robber fly of the genus Erax sometimes attacks and 

 carries off individual bees. As a usual thing, these are not abundant 

 enough to do great damage. 



Birds and Other Enemies. Very rarely an individual bird, especially 

 the bird known as kingbird or bee-martin, will capture the bees as they 

 fly to and from the hive. This habit is not a universal one with any 

 bird, and is only developed by the individuals. Where the offender per- 

 sists in his attacks, a shotgun is the best remedy, but in no case should 

 warfare be made upon the birds as a whole, or even upon the kingbirds 



