A BRIEF SURVEY OF HAWAIIAN BEE KEEPING. m 



found. In view of the fact that a brood disease would spread rapidly 

 in that climate, the bee men may consider themselves extremely fortu- 

 nate. 



Some time ago Mr. D. L. Van Dine sent to the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology a sample of brood which had died, and it was reported that 

 there had been considerable loss on this account. There was no indi- 

 cation of an} 7 infectious disease in the sample, and before another sam- 

 ple could be obtained the trouble had disappeared. Of this trouble 

 Mr. Van Dine wrote, under date of April 27, 190G : 



About the 1st of January it. began and appeared simultaneously in several of 



the apiaries of the Honey Company. In the majority of cases [of hives 



having this trouble] from one-half to three-fourths of the brood died when the 

 larvae were nearly full grown or after transforming to the pupae. The sunken 

 caps and black color resembled the descriptions of foul brood, but there was no 

 odor or other symptoms. Many of the pupae showed signs of life after turning 

 nearly black and some adults emerged before dying * * *. As a precaution the 

 bees were fed medicated sirup, but I am of the opinion that the trouble is not an 

 infectious disease, but due to improper food. When the algarroba, our principal 

 honey tree, had ceased to flower the main source of pollen was gone, but the bees 

 could still get an abundance of honey from the sugar cane. The bee bread was 

 scanty, very dark in color, and rather hard. I have not been able to trace out 

 where they got it. Probably from various weeds * * *. The algarroba is 

 coming in flower again and it is a fact that the trouble is fast disappearing, 

 and I am inclined to believe that it was due to the food conditions I men- 

 tioned * * *. 



On the island of Kauai the same trouble appeared at the same time as on this 

 island and the conditions are exactly the same. On the island of Molokai the 

 trouble did not occur and there they have no sugar cane and when the honey 

 plants failed the queens ceased to lay and no outbreak of the disease occurred. 



Under date of June 5, 1906, he wrote: 



For a time after the bees began to bring in pollen in abundance the trouble 

 seemed to disappear, but just now in certain colonies it is as serious as ever. 

 This seems to contradict the idea that the trouble is due to food conditions. 



While the author was on the islands only one case was seen which 

 resembled what was described in 1906. This was in an apiary on the 

 island of Kauai. The dead larvae in no way resembled those which 

 die of American foul brood or European foul brood. There is no in- 

 dication that the trouble is contagious, and the dead larvae resembled 

 certain phases of what is generally called " pickle brood." 



The bee keepers are anxious that no disease be allowed to enter their 

 territory, and at the request of the Hawaiian Bee Keepers' Associa- 

 tion the author drew up a letter of recommendation which is here 

 given : 



For the informal ion of your association in formulating proposed regulations 

 relative to the establishment of an effective quarantine against the various dis- 

 eases of the bee, I take pleasure in presenting the following statements as my 

 opinion concerning the questions involved. 

 78013°— Bull. TH— 11 5 



