﻿EFFECTS ON HONEYBEES OF SPRAYING FEUIT TEEES 7 



23 2 colonies were about as strong as when they left Maine, 4 were 

 weak, 1 was nearly depopulated, and 1 entirely so. On July 3 one 

 other colony was entirely depopulated; on August 1, one more; on 

 September 14, three were fairly strong and 2 were weak. Not 1 of 

 the 10 colonies used was killed outright, but 5 of them in a compara- 

 tively short time were entirely depopulated, while the other 5 were 

 rendered more or less weak. 



In the preliminary experiments the bees were installed in the 

 orchards before the spraying had been done and were therefore 

 working actively in the trees when the mixtures were applied. In 

 most cases the bees were wetted by the sprays, by which they were 

 driven from the trees, but returned in a few moments and continued 

 to collect nectar and pollen. The lime-sulphur was the only substance 

 used really repellent to the bees, but it did not keep them from the 

 spraj'ed trees. In all cases they returned to the sprayed flowers 

 before the lime-sulphur-arsenate mixtures on the foliage and blos- 

 soms had become entirely dry. 



Immediately after the application of the spray mixtures, in the 

 preliminary experiments, many sprayed flowers Avere closely exam- 

 ined. Most of them were thoroughly wetted with the sprays. Some- 

 times the cavities containing the stamens and pistils were completely 

 filled with the mixtures, but never was any of the spray seen in the 

 nectaries. These observations were repeated at Winthrop after 

 applying the already-mentioned mixture of 3 pounds of paste lead 

 arsenate to each 50 gallons of water in a 200-gallon power sprayer. 

 In one tank of mixture 4 gallons of lime-sulphur was used ; in another 

 tankful one-fourth ounce of methylviolet was dissolved and a third 

 tankful contained 3 ounces of an aqueous solution of eosin. The 

 object of the dyes was to determine Avhether or not they would color 

 the flowers better than the lime-sulphur, so that the presence of the 

 spraying inaterials might be traced in the blossoms. They proved 

 no better than the lime-sulphur for this purpose, but all three sub- 

 stances Avere fairly satisfactory for these tests. It Avas common to 

 see the spray mixtures in the interior of the flowers, but they were 

 never traced into the nectaries; the analyses of the nectaries from 

 fresh floAvers (Table 1), however, indicated that the mixtures did 

 pass into the nectaries. Fine spray Avas generally seen on the anthers 

 and stigmas; and, afier it had evaporated, the petals Avere usually 

 covered Avith small bi'own, violet, or pink dots, but the inner sur- 

 faces of the stamen bars at or near their bases neA^er appeared to be 

 stained. 



On several occasions bees Avere closely observed Avhen collecting 

 l^ollen and nectar. Several bees AA'ith more or less pollen on their 

 hind legs Avere seen collecting only nectar, but most of those with 

 pollen on their hind legs Avere taking only pollen, Avhile those with- 

 out jjollen on their hind legs Avere collecting only nectar. A bee col- 

 lecling nectar usually alighted on the bunch of anthers and stigmas 

 and instantly tiinist its mouth parts betAveen the stamen bars in 

 order to rcacli the nectar. Tlie anthei's carrying the pollen came in 

 contact with (he upper j)Oi-tions of the front legs and with the throat 

 of the bee, and some of the pollen adhered to the many branched 

 hairs on the parts touched. 



