ENEMIES OF HONEY-BEES 151 



the brood — by tbe larvae of the larger wax-moth. 

 Amateur bee-keepers often wonder why certain patches 

 of brood have the sealing caps removed; this sometimes 

 happens as the result of the bees attempting to dislodge 

 the intruders. 



There is also a smaller wax-moth {Achroea grissella), 

 dull-gray in colour, with a yellow head. It is often found 

 in conjunction with the first-mentioned variety, but it is 

 not so destructive. Another method of killing the moths 

 and also the larvae, is to have the combs in an air-tight 

 box or tank, and fumigate as directed for ants. Take 

 care not to inhale the fumes as they are very poisonous. 

 This last fumigation is very destructive to all forms of 

 life, even bacteria succumb when exposed to the deadly 

 vapour. The chief thing is to have only Italian bees, 

 (or even hybrids) ; gather up all comb scraps, etc., and 

 leave no wax debris about to furnish breeding places. 

 The photograph illustrating "foul brood" clearly shows 

 the ravages of the wax-moth. 



MICE. 



These pests will occasionally nibble combs, especially 

 if they contain a few dead bees, but the careful man will 

 rarely be troubled. It is an easy matter to keep the combs 

 in tight super-bodies covered with wire cloth screens. 



' PARASITES AND INSECT PESTS. 



Parasites are sometimes found on the queen. They 

 are noticed, however, only on those imported from Italy. 

 The queens are never seriously injured by the Braula 

 as they are called. Probably the worker bees remove the 

 lice from the royal mother. 



The bee-hawk is said to be a serious enemy to bees, 

 but there are no damaging reports to hand from 

 Australasian apiarists. Mr. Froggatt, F.L.S., New South 

 Wales Government Entomologist, at a meeting of the 

 Naturalists' Club exhibited a fly, which he described as 

 an inveterate enemy of the hive bee. The fly, under the 



