

96 



SEVENTH ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE 



fold are the spiracles. The head and 

 cervical shield are reported to be 

 sting-proof, as is also the tunnel. This 

 makes it possible for the larvae to 

 feed safely in the presence of the 

 bees. The bees, however, in a 

 strong, prosperous hive, are able to 

 keep bee-moths and their larvae so 

 under control that injury does not ap- 

 pear. The hives which succumb are 

 those where few bees are, or where 

 'bee disease is present, or where there 

 is no queen. 



Through the courtesy of Prof. Sur- 

 face, I am here allowed to publish 

 some data secured from accessions 

 and breeding cages during the past 

 three years in his office. 



Larvae were received alive: IV. 24, 

 (2132 b. State College, Pa.); V. 11, 

 (5836); V. 23, (5996 f ) ; V. 29, (6384); 

 Vn. 11, (6896 Camphill); VHL 26, 

 (1251) Gettysburg.) 



Pupae were received VIII. 26, (1251) 

 Gettysburg.) 



Adults were received V. 26, (6365 e 

 State College.) 



Cages were established for numbers 

 5836 (V. 11), 6384 (V. 29) and 6896 

 (Vn. 11). In cage No. 5836, one was 

 spun up when received. This pupated 



V. 16. Another spun up V. 12, and 

 pupated V. 17. Neither developed to 

 the adult form. 



In cage No. 6384, several larvae spun 

 up, VI. 7, the last by VL 14, and one 

 spun up when received (V. 29), pu- 

 pated VI. 7. Adults emerged. One 

 on VI. 17, one VI. 19, three VI. 23, one 



VI. 24, and one VII. 17. 



In cage No. 6896 were many larvae 

 of varying sizes, and at least one pu- 

 pa, (VII. II). Larvae were observed 

 as late as VIII. 15. One adult emerg- 

 ed VII. 14, and one VII. 26, another 



VII. 27, another VIIL 10. On VIII. 12 

 one female and the first male were 

 found. Adults appeared in increased 

 numbers beginning VIII. 16; from this 

 date to VIII. 30 inclusive, 190 moths 

 emerged, of which approximately two- 

 thirds were females, one- third males. 

 From VIII. 31 to IX. 17th inclusive, 

 eleven emerged, none emerging at 

 later date. Thus we see that under 

 the conditions under which bee- 

 moths exist, stages overlay to a mark- 

 ed degree, and adults and larvae may 

 be found together V. 26. (See No. 

 6365 and No. 6384) ; again, in a cage 

 of few specimens, larvae were ob- 

 served as larvae within three days of 



appearance of adults on VI. 17 (see 

 No. 6384) ; in the large cages above 

 named, larvae and adults overlapped 

 from VII. 14 until VIII. 15, the latest 

 date on which normal larvae were ob- 

 served. 



There is no doubt to be entertain- 

 ed that there are two generations an- 

 nually; there may sometimes be 

 three in this state. Mr. Langstroth, in 

 breeding experiments with this wax- 

 moth, recorded that the series of 

 larvae which he found spun up late 

 in the fall for the most part wintered 

 in the larval stage, a few pupating be- 

 fore winter and wintering thus, with 

 one emerging before winter set in, all 

 having a summer heat by an artificial 

 process. Mr. Langstroth noted the 

 experience of Mr. Todd, who had ac- 

 tively feeding larvae to begin with, 

 whose larvae continued to feed until 

 mature, then pupated and emerged 

 without other delay than might have 

 been expected during summer weath- 

 er. These results, with our own 

 breeding records, would indicate that 

 broods are not absolute, all stages to 

 some extent wintering over. 



The manner of feeding in this spe- 

 cies may be contrasted with the man- 

 ner of feeding in the wax-moth thus: 

 The tunnel which the common wax- 

 moth makes is conspicuous by its 

 larger size and its proximity to the 

 cell caps, making a slight streak be- 

 neath the caps. The tunnel of the 

 lesser moth is much harder to recog- 

 nize, being smaller and in close prox- 

 imity to the foundation of the comb. 



The bee-moth can best be controlled 

 by keeping the hives strongly colon- 

 ized, and by using the modern hives 

 and frequently lifting out the combs 

 and examining them. 



THE BEE KILLER. 



The bee Jciller (Promachus pitchii) 

 was first reported from Nebraska, 

 in July, 1864, as a pronounced 

 enemy of- the honey bee. It 

 belongs to a family of strong, general- 

 ly large predaceous flies, having an 

 elongate body, with very long slender 

 abdomen, excepting for a few robust 

 forms closely resembling bumble bees. 

 The vertex of the head is conspicu- 

 ously hollowed out, giving the eyes 

 greater prominence. The proboscis is 

 fleshy lips of some of the biting flies. 

 Dr. Fitch describes these flies as in- 

 hard, strong, pointed, and lacks the 



