ENEMIES AND PESTS 113 



queens and should be destroyed, each wasp so destroyed 

 being a potential colony. 



Birds. — The blue-tit at times acquires the habit of 

 feeding on bees, especially during the winter months. 

 His methods are decidedly ingenious. He alights upon 

 the flight board and taps with his beak, which procedure 

 quickly brings one or more bees to the entrance, only 

 to be immediately pounced upon by the expectant bird. 

 Stern methods are to be deprecated. Old fish-net is 

 cheap, and a piece hung in front of a hive during the 

 winter will not materially interfere with the bees during 

 occasional cleansing flights. 



Toads should be kept at a respectful distance, and not 

 allowed to lurk beneath hives. 



Blind Louse (Braula Caeca) is a small reddish-brown 

 wingless insect about one- sixteenth of an inch long, and 

 sometimes found infesting bees, particularly the queen. 

 They cause no serious damage, and their presence need 

 not alarm the beekeeper. 



