[ a57, ] 



Nf). 46. 



NOTES ON ACARINB OR ISLE OP WIGHT BEE DISEASE. 

 By LIEUT.-COLONEL 0. SAMMAN, R.A.M.C, 



AND 



J. BRONTE GATENBY, M.A. (Duel.), D.Phil. (Oxon.), D.Sc. (Lond.), 



M.R.I.A., P.R.M.S., 

 Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy in the University of Dublin. 



(Plates XVIII and XIX.) _ 

 (Read April 29. Piinted August 21, 1924.) 



Introduction. 



In the year 1904 a serious, apparently new, disease of honey-bees broke out 

 in the Isle of Wight, and, spreading rapidly, swept over the British Isles like 

 a plague, completely wiping out the bees in many districts. At least two 

 commissions of investigation failed to find the cause of this disease, and it 

 was only so recently as 1919 that a band of workers iii Aberdeen University 

 were able to give the first correct explanation of the cause of Isle of Wight 

 disease in bees. The organism which is the causative agent belongs to the 

 order Acarina. It was first noted by Miss E. J. Harvey, who attached no 

 special importance to its presence in the bee; but it was afterwards seen, 

 and its importance immediately recognized by Bruce White, who has given a 

 description of its effect on the host. The cyedit of the discovery of the cause of 

 Isle of Wight bee disease therefore belongs to Bruce White, whose paper on 

 its pathology is the only one up to this date in existence. White's paper 

 was published simultaneously with other communications from Miss Harvey 

 and Dr. John Rennie. Since Brace White's discovery, John Rennie has carried 

 out investigations on the bionomics of this disease, and it is principally to 

 him that we owe what knowledge we have of the habits, pathogenicity, and 

 treatment of this remarkable disease, which is characterized by many peculiarities 

 not hitherto known in parasitology. 



Our study of this disease in bees has extended about one year. During 

 most of this time one of us has carried out I'outine diagnostic work for Irish 

 bee-keepers, and it is only more recently, during winter, that a serious attempt 

 has been made to extend our knowledge of the disease : the junior writer had 

 long been interested in the Acarina, and welcomed the opportunity to under- 

 take an investigation of the embryology and anatomy of the causative organism 

 of Isle of Wight disease. Owing to technical difficulties, it is only recently 

 that satisfactory sections of the parasites have been obtained. 



For nearly a year this wor-k has l^een carried out with facilities provided 

 solely by the Zoological Department of Trinity College, Dublin. Since the 

 Free State Government kindly granted us fifty pounds for expenses relative to 

 this investigation, we have recently made a little progress. Our work has been 



SCIENT. PROC. E.D.S., VOL. XVII, NO. 46. 8 Y 



