DESTKUCTION OF WORMS. 167 



MISTAKEN CONCLUSIONS. 



It is supposed by many, when these worms are found 

 on the board, they get there by accident, having drop- 

 ped from the combs above. They seem not to under- 

 stand that the worm generally travels on safe princi- 

 ples j that is, he attaches a thread to whatever he 

 travels over. To be satisfied on this point, I have 

 many times carefully detached his foot-hold, when on 

 the side qf the hive or other place, where he would 

 fall a few inches, and always found him with a thread 

 fast at the place he left, to enable him to regain his 

 position if he chose. Is it not probable, then, that 

 whenever he leaves the combs for the bottom-board, he 

 can readily ascend again ? No doubt he often does, 

 to be driven down again by the bees. Now, what I 

 wish to get at by all this preamble, is simply this : 

 that all our trouble and worrying, to prevemt the 

 worms from again ascending to the combs — by wire 

 hooks, wire pins, screws, nails, turned pins, clam- 

 shells, blocks of wood, &c., is perfect nonsense, when 

 half or more of them would not harm the bees any 

 more if they did, and' might as well go there as any 

 where else. Besides, these useless " fixins " are very 

 often a positive injury to the bees. 



OBJECTIONS TO SUSPENDED BOTTOM-BOARD. 



:. Suppose, if you please, that the worm has no thread 

 attached above, and your board is far enough from 

 the bottom of the hive to prevent his reaching it. Of 

 course, he cai't get up; but how are your bees to do 

 any better? The worm can reach as high as they can,' 



