152 DOMESTIC AMIMAT.S. 



with a long and narrow neck increasing gradually to a wide moutli, 

 and having a light in the neck, to be placed under the hive in the 

 evening. "We can vouch for the efficacy of this trap — it will destroy 

 numbers. Another particular to be attended to is to have your stocks 

 sufficiently strong ; and for this purpose, if the hive attacked be weak, 

 unite it to the bees of another hive, in the manner already described. 

 The bees are themselves, if sufficiently strong in numbers, both willing 

 and able to destroy the intruders. If weak, they will necessarily fall 

 victims. 



Millipedes, or Wood-lice, are often produced by the stands being made 

 of decayed wood, or the hive being placed too near an old hedge. Let 

 the stand be of new wood, and strew soot on the ground under and 

 about the hive. This will also serve in part as a protection against the 

 attacks of ants. 



Ants. — You should always destroy such ants' nests as you find in the 

 neighborhjjpd of a hive. In the West Indies, glass-feet are used to pre- 

 vent these insects from getting into furniture, etc. Might not such be 

 used with advantage for bee-hives ? 



lice. — These are small parasitical insects of a red color, which adhere 

 to the body of the bee, and derive their nourishment from their juices. 

 They are about the size of a grain of mustard-seed, or rather smaller. 



Reaumur and others tried many remedies for these troublesome in- 

 sects, but in vain, till at length Madame Vicat discovered that Morocco 

 tobacco will kill the lice without injuring the bees. 



Spiders. — Brush away their webs wherever you meet with them near 

 your stand. 



Wasps and Hornets. — These insects are most noxious to bees. Dig up 

 and destroy their nests wherever you meet with them ; but you will 

 most efifectually get rid of them by offering a reward for every queen 

 wasp brought to you in spring. The destruction of each queen is tanta- 

 mount to that of an entire nest ; and if this plan were generally adopt- 

 ed, wasps would eventually be extirpated. 



Birds. — Among those which are the greatest enemies to bees, we 

 may mention sparrows and swallows. Set traps near the hives, baited 

 with dead bees ; shoot the birds ; and hang up a few of such birds as 

 you kill, on trees near the stands. Perseverance for a time in this will 

 rid you of the annoyance. 



Bees. — Bees are amongst the most dangerous foes of their own kind, 

 being bold and resolute plunderers. It is only weak stocks, however, 

 that suffer, so that union is the obvious cure. Avoid also placing your 

 hives too close together ; and also avoid at any time placing a weak 

 stock near a strong one. 



BEE-FLOWERS. — Conspicuous among all the plants loved by bees (for 

 the best of reasons, that they get the most honey or other substances 

 from them), are clover, wild-thyme, heath and broom, borage, French 

 buckwheat, and Melilotus leucantha. This last may be usefully grown 

 for the bees' especial gratification. It is easily cultivated, blooms from 

 June to November, and is ornamental in addition to its other good 

 qualities. But the most important qualification of bee-pasturage is, 

 tiiat there shall be always something for the bees, from the very earliest 



