BEE-KEEPING IN WAR-TIME 29 



her. If they can do this they will kill her. The queen to be 

 introduced is placed in a wire cage, together with attendant 

 bees from her own stock, and a supply of food. This is hung 

 between the combs and she is kept imprisoned for thirty-six 

 hours; at the end of that time she is released and will be 

 accepted. If a stock is to be requeened the old mother must 

 be removed at least twelve hours before the other is put 

 into the hive. 



VIII 



DISEASES 



The chief diseases to which bees are subject are Dysentery, 

 Foul Brood, and Isle of Wight Disease. 



In the case of dysentery, which is caused by bad venti- 

 lation, damp, or food containing too much moisture or which 

 has fermented, the combs and interior of the hive are badly 

 stained with the excreta of the bees ; when in good health 

 bees never foul their home. It makes its appearance usually 

 in the very early spring. The treatment is to change the bees 

 into a clean hive, remove all the stained combs possible, and 

 feed with either candy or good warm thick syrup. 



Foul Brood is a disease caused by a micro-organism which 

 attacks the larvae. Instead of lying curled up in the cell in 

 the form of a C, and being pearly white in colour, the larva 

 lies elongated, is flabby in appearance, gradually assuming 

 a yellow colour turning eventually to a deep brown. The 

 cappings covering the brood are sunken and have irregular 

 perforations in them. In some cases an offensive odour is 

 also present. If the disease is allowed to run its course, the 

 colony soon succumbs. Affected bees should be fed on medi- 

 cated syrup, Apicure placed in the hive, and renewed when it 

 has evaporated, until the disease disappears. 



Isle of Wight Disease is at present somewhat of a mystery ; 

 very little is known as to its cause. When affected, the bees 

 come out of the hive and crawl about on the ground until 

 they die. The wings are dislocated and the abdomen is 

 badly distended, sometimes the bees are constipated, at others 

 they evacuate profusely. In very bad cases the safest plan 

 is to destroy the bees and burn all the internal arrangements 

 of the hive. If slight, then a cure may be effected by feeding 

 with syrup medicated with Izal or Bacterol. 



The bees and interior of the hive should also be sprayed 



