ENEMIES OF HONEY-BEES 



149 



WAX-MOTHS. 



All the pests already enumerated sink into iusig- 

 niticanee when compared with the wax-moths. Tliere are 

 two varieties found in Australasia and the larger wax- 

 moth is bv far the more 





destructive of the two 

 varieties. Specifically 

 known as Galb'ria mello- 

 nella (Fig. 63a) the larger 

 wax-moth is troul)lesome 

 only during the warm 

 months of the year. Dur- 

 ing the winter, tlie cater- 

 pillars s]:)end their time 

 crawling about the gal- 

 leries constructed dui'ing 

 the previous autumn. 

 They do not appear to 

 grow very fast in the cold 

 weather. 



With the advent of 

 warm spring weather, the 

 caterpillars spin a cocoon. 

 It is a strange thing that 

 the grulis, after wander- 

 ing over the combs in 

 search of food^ re])eat the 

 arrangement of the eggs 

 in the disposition of the 

 "cradles." These "cases" 

 are spun of some white 



silky sort of material, very tough indeed. From the 

 completion of the cocoon, to the hatching of the perfect 

 insect, occupies about a fortnight. The moth is then 

 ready to fly about the hives, stored combs, or any wax 

 refuse (indeed the author noticed in an apiary — visited 

 some years ago — a pile of foundation just matted together 

 with larval cases of the wax-moth), seeking a place to 



-y^/Zf /?/' IV^Ji /Ifer;/ 



CccoofJs ^ £uas 



TR,l9 l)t 



Pig. 63a. 



