154 



MONEY IN BEES IN AUSTRALASIA 



In health the cappings of 

 ihe brood are slightly convex 

 and of a raw si enna-co] cured 

 brown. 



Normally bees very rarely 

 indeed perforate the capping 

 of healthv brood. 



If one displaces the cap- 

 ping of healthy larvse he will 

 at once receive an impression 

 of sparkling white grubs, 

 plnmp and full against the 

 dark cells. 



Take a fine piece of wood 

 or dry grass stalk, insert it 

 into a healthy grub and 

 slowly withdraw it; the con- 

 tained thin juices will not 

 draw out one fraction. 



The cappings of cells con- 

 taining affected larvae are 

 sunken a little, arid are 

 darker in colour — more of an 

 umber shade. 



In the diseased condition 

 a jagged pinhole is fre- 

 quently torn in the covering, 

 as if the bees knew some- 

 thing was not right inside 

 and had made a peep hole. 



Uncap one of the sunken 

 cells and the larval skin is 

 flaccid and shrunken out of 

 shape, of a dirty drab colour, 

 and instead of filling the 

 cell lies on the bottom side. 



Repeat this performance 

 with a fresh stick on one of 

 the diseased grubs and it 

 wi]] be found that a thick 

 glutinous thread will follow 

 the stick perhaps to half an 

 inch in length. This latter 

 peculiarity has given the 

 malady the distinctive name 

 of "ropy" foul brood. Take 

 care to burn the stick 

 in a fierce fire and to wash 

 the hands in carbolic acid 

 solution. 



This stringy characteristic is not found in any other 

 disease, and it is therefore considered a conclusive test 

 for malignant foul brood. The glutinous strings are 

 caused by the "breaking down" of the substance {e.g., 

 chitine) that would go to forming the hard shell struc- 

 ture of the imago. The final stage is just a black scale 

 on the lower side of the cell. With this meagre 

 description, the novice will be far from satisfied. He will 

 want to know more about the why and the wherefore. 



