75 



racterized by a swollen watery appearance of the larvae, usually accom- 

 panied by black colour of the head. The larvae usually lie on their 

 backs in the cell, and the head points upward. The colour gradually 

 changes from light yellow to brown after the larva dies. There is no 

 ropiness, and the only odour is that of sour decaying matter, not at all 

 like that of American foul-brood. In case the larvae are capped over, 

 the cappings do not become dark, as in the case of the contagious dis- 

 eases, but they may be punctured. So far no cause can be given for this 

 disease, and whether or not it is contagious is a disputed point. Usually 

 no treatment is necessary beyond feeding during a dearth of honey, but 

 in very rare cases when th^ majority of larvae in a comb are dead from 

 this cause the frame should be removed and a clean comb put in its 

 place, to make it unnecessary for the bees to clean ^ut so much dead 

 brood. 



"Chilled, Overheated, and Starved Brood. 



" Many different external factors may cause broqd to die. Such 

 dead brood is frequently mistaken, by persons unfamiliar with the brood- 

 diseases, for one or the other of them. Careful examination will soon 

 determine whether dead brood is the result of disease or merely some 

 outside change. If brood dies from chilling or some other such cause, 

 it is usually soon carried out by the workers, and the trouble disappears. 

 No treatment is necessary. Brood which dies from external causes 

 often produces a strong odour in the colony, but wholly unlike that of 

 American foul-brood — merely that of decaying matter. The colour of 

 such brood varies, but the characteristic colours of the infectious diseases 

 are usually absent, the ordinary colour of dead brood being more nearly 

 grey." 



Isle of Wight Disease. 



This disease, as its name indicates, first made its appearance in the 

 Isle of Wight, and from there it rapidly spread through England to the 

 borders of Scotland, wiping out apiary after apiary. It has occupied 

 the earnest attention of the English Board of Agriculture for some years, 

 and it is now generally attributed to a small parasite organism known 

 as Nosema apis. The symptoms seem to vary a great deal, but the most 

 important seem to be the death of a large number of adult bees, mostly 

 outside the hives. The bees crawl out and attempt to fly, but find they 

 cannot, and fall off the alighting-board on to the ground, and there 

 perish. In some, but not in all cases, the abdomens are distended and 

 dysentery is present. The bees seem to be disinclined to work, and so 

 crawl aimlessly about. 



In no case has it been reported that the brood has been affected. 

 The disease is impossible to diagnose with certainty without the micro- 

 scope. It is most infectious, and the only way so far discovered to 

 combat the disease is for the beekeeper to watch for unsatisfactory 

 colonies, and relentlessly destroy aU those that appear at all suspicious. 

 Some experiments have recently been made with what is called 

 Ayle's cure, which is mostly creosote, and has a very decided odour. 

 ' It has been found of practically no use, howeveif , as the guards cannot 

 tell their own bees on account of the smell, and robbing goes on 

 extensively. 



New Zealand, so far, has been fortunate in escaping this epidemic. 



The Bee or Wax-moth. 



We have in New Zealand only two varieties of wax-moth, the larger 

 one being the Galleria mellonella and the small one Achrcea grissella. 



