S2 THB PRACTICAL BBB GUIDE. 



54. Dutch Bees vary in colour from brown to black, not in- 

 frequently showing- three tan-colour bands on the first three seg- 

 ments of the abdomen — -due, apparently to an introduction of 

 Italian blood — the remaining segments being brown, or black. 

 Dutch beekeepers encourage swarming, and their bees respond, 

 refusing to adapt themselves at once to our methods. Twenty 

 standard frames may be allowed for the brood nest ; or ten, or 

 twelve, with a crate of shallow frames on top. But Dutch bees 

 may be expected to swarm, in spite of all precautions, if the queen 

 be more than six months old. They are usually as good tempered 

 as Blacks. Their combs are regular, with white cappings, 

 attractive in sections. They were introduced to these countries in 

 the hope of counteracting the ravages of I. W. disease (360). 



55. Sand Bees (Andrena) are found in this country, occasion- 

 ally in large numbers. They differ from the honey bee in 

 many structural points, notably in their much shorter tongue. 

 The females are always fully developed, so that the " worker " 

 caste does not exist among them. They make their nests by 

 burrowing in the ground, usually in sandy places. Although 

 they are " solitary " insects, in the sense of forming no social 

 communities like those of the honey bees, a large number of 

 nests are generally found close together, and many individuals 

 may be seen, in the spring months, flying around their 

 favourite haunts. 



56. Leafcutter Bees {MegacMle) are long-tongued, like the 

 honey bee, but they may be distinguished by their broad head, 

 powerful mandibles, and generally stout build. Like the 

 And/rence, they have no " worker " caste. They nest in the ground, 

 sometimes digging burrows, but more frequently using ready- 

 made hollows, such as the tunnels of worms. They neatly cut 

 pieces out of the leaves of plants, and use these to build their 

 nests, in which they store food for their grubs. The nest 

 resembles a number of thimbles placed inside one another. 

 These bees also nest in old trees and walls. They are rarely 

 found in the North. Their nests have been discovered among 

 the quilts of bar frame hives; and Mr. M. H. Read has found 

 them twice in his apiary, and frequently in the keyhole of his 

 garden-dnor. 



56b. Caucasians are natives of the Caucasus, in Russia. 

 Within the past few years they have been recommended in the 

 United States by the Department of Agriculture, and testimony 

 to their exceeding gentleness and prolificness has been given 

 by many prominent beekeepers. Neither smoke, carbolic, nor 

 protection is necessary when these bees are being manipu- 

 lated ; they show little resentment when roughly treated ; their 

 queens are great layers, and their workers are exceptionally 

 industrious. 



