Lhe Bee Louse. 425 
where it belongs, and the Hemiptera, which contains the 
bugs and most of the lice. It assumes the semi-pupa state 
almost as soon as hatched, and, strangest of all, is, consid- 
ering the size of the bee on which it lives and from which 
it sucks its nourishment, enormously large. Two or three, 
and sometimes as many as ten, are found on a single bee. 
When we consider their great size, we cannot wonder that 
they soon devitalize the bees. 
These have done little damage except in the south of 
Continental Europe, Cyprus and other parts of the Orient. 
The reason that they have not been naturalized in other 
parts of Europe and in America may be owing to climate, 
Fic. 215. 
Imago, Larva. 
though I think more likely it is due to improved apicul- 
ture. Mr. Frank Benton, who has had much experience 
with these bee lice in Cyprus, writes me that the Braula is 
no serious pest if the bees are properly cared for. “In 
fact, if hives are kept clean inside, and colonies supplied 
with young queens and kept strong, the damage done by 
the Braula is very slight if anything. In old, immovable. 
comb hives, where the combs are black and thickened, and 
in case the queens are old; or where through some extra- 
neous cause the colonies have become weak, these lice are 
numerous on queens and workers. 1 have not noticed them 
on the drones. Since they are found on workers as well 
as the queen, their removal from the latter will bring but 
