298 SUMMEB. 



OTHER SYMPTOMS OF WORMS. 



But when the bees make no effort to dislodge the 

 enemy or his works in old stocks, the case is some- 

 what desperate ! Instead of the foregoing symptoms) 

 we must look for something entirely different. But 

 few young bees will be found. In their place we may 

 find the faeces of the worms dropped on the board. 

 During winter and spring the bees, in biting off the 

 covering of cells to get at the honey, drop chips closely 

 resembling it. To detect the difference and distinguish 

 one from the other requires a little close inspection. 

 The color of the faeces varies with the comb on which- 

 they feed, from white to brown and black. The size 

 of these grains will be in proportion to the worm— r, 

 from a mere speck to nearly as large as a pin-head : 

 shape cylindrical, with obtuse ends : length about 

 twice its diameter. By the quantity we can judge of 

 the number. If the hive is full of combs the lower 

 ends may appear perfect, while the middle or upper 

 part is sometimes a mat of webs ! 



Whenever our stocks have become reduced from 

 over-swarming or other cause, this is the next effect 

 in succession that we must expect. Here is another 

 important reason that we know the actual condition 

 of our bees at all times ; we can then detect the 

 worms very soon after they commence. In some in- 

 stances we might save the stock by breaking out most 

 of the ,combs, leaving just enough to be covered by 

 the bees. When success attends this operation, it must 

 be done before the worms have progressed to a tho- 



