ENEMIES OF BEES. 295 



ment to prove that when all our stocks are well pro' 

 teoted, that it must be a poor chance to deposit eggs, 

 on the combs of such hives, where their instinct has 

 taught them is the proper place. But they must leave 

 them somewhere. When driven from all the combs 

 within, the next best place is the cracks and flaws 

 about the hive, that are lined with propolis ; and the 

 dust and chips that fall on the floor-board of a young 

 swarm not full will be used. This last material ia 

 mostly wax, and answers very well instead of comb. 

 The eggs will here hatch- and the worms sometimes, 

 ascend to the combs ; hence the necessity of keeping 

 the bottom brushed off clean. It will prevent those 

 that are on the bottom from going up : also the bees 

 from taking up any eggs, if this should happen to be 

 the method. I can conceive of no other way by which 

 they get among the combs of a populous stock ; where 

 they are often detected, having been deposited by- 

 some means. A worm lodged in the comb, makes his 

 w'ay to the centre, and then eats a passage as he pro- 

 ceeds; lining it with a shroud of silk, gradually enlarg*. 

 ing it, as he increases in size. (When combs are filled 

 with honey, they work on the surface, eating only the 

 sealing.) In very weak families this silken passage- 

 way is left untouched, — ^but removed by all the 

 stronger ones. I have found it asserted that "the 

 worms would be all immediately destroyed by the 

 bees, were it not for a kind of dread in touching thenl 

 jiritil compelled to by necessity." As the facts which 

 led to this conclusion are not given, and I can find 

 none confirming it, perhaps I shall be excused if I 



