THE 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC BIOLOGY. 
THE FUNGI OF THE BEE-HIVE. 
By 
ANNIE D. BETTS, B.Sc. 
With 28 Figures. 
THE fungus-flora of the bee-hive is doubly of interest. From the 
point of view of the mycologist, it might be expected that a habitat 
providing such unusual conditions, as regards temperature and sub- 
stratum, would contain some interesting forms. From that of the 
bee-keeper it is very desirable that our knowledge of the organisms 
found in the hive should be as thorough as possible, in order to 
facilitate the study and suppression of diseases of the honey-bee. 
In spite of these considerations, it appears that the bee-hive fungi 
have never been thoroughly worked out, though various species 
have from time to time been recorded as present in hives, mostly in 
connection (or supposed connection) with bee-diseases. 
The following is believed to be a full account of all the hive- 
fungi hitherto described. Since many of the records occur in non- 
mycological periodicals, the descriptions are in many cases inade- 
quate or even wanting; ‘these cases have nevertheless been included, 
for the sake of completeness. 
Berkeley and Broome (3) in 1854 described a new species, 
Oidium favorum, as follows :—‘‘ Floccis erectis septatis, sporis flavis. 
brevibus subcylindricis. On honey-comb, near Woolwich, Mrs. 
Col. Jones. Flocci erect, white, septate and slightly torulose below, 
above bearing a few short cylindrical yellow spores. These spores 
when fallen seem to acquire a septum, and then to be gradually 
attenuated at either end. A new septum is then formed in each 
division, constituting an irregularly fusiform body.’’ Cooke (5) 
follows Berkeley and Broome in his account of this species. Saccardo 
(25, iv, 22) transfers it to the genus Oospora. His diagnosis is: 
‘‘ Hyphis erectis septatis; conidiis luteis, brevibus subcylindricis 
ultimis sphzeroideis. Hab. in favis Apum in Britannia.’’ Massee 
(22) describes Oospora favorum as follows: ‘‘ Tufts minute, white, 
{[Journ. Econ. Biot., December, 1912, vol. vii, No. 4.] 
A 
