206 AUSTRALIAN BEE LORE AND BEE CULTURE. 



Strong colonies, Italian bees, and a good honey flow consti- 

 tute the best security against the bee-moth. 



16. It should furnish to the apiarian some accessible place, 



where the larvae of the moth, when fully grown, may 

 wind themselves in their cocoons. 

 This is encouraging the breeding of vermin so as to have the 

 pleasure of destroying them. Prevention is always better than 

 cure. The preventive measures are indicated above. 



17. It should enable the apiarian, by removing the combs, 

 to destroy the worms if they get the advantage of 

 the bees. 



The worms are the weedsi of a bee-hive, and as the weeds in 

 a garden show want of care on the part of the gardener, so worms 

 show the want of care on the part of the apiarian. If by remov- 

 ing the combs, the worms can be destroyed, why have some ac- 

 cessible place, where the larvae of the bee moth, when fully grown, 

 may wind themselves in their cocoons. 



18. The bottom board should be permanently attached to 

 the hive for convenience in moving it and to prevent 

 the depredations of moths and worms. 



Experience has taught that a removable bottom-board is far 

 better than a fixed one. The dirtiest part of a hive is the bot- 

 tom-board, especially in spring time, after a winter's semi-hiber- 

 nation. It is an easier matter to lift the hives with the bees, re- 

 move the bottom-board, and replace it with a clean one than it 

 would be to transfer the bees to another hive. Another thing, 

 the brood is not so likely to be chilled as removing frames to an- 

 other hive. If the bee-moth should gain the crevices between the 

 hive and movable bottom-board as Langstroth points out, they 

 are much more easily dislodged than when they take possession 

 of the crevices in a fixture. 



See my concrete floors on page 152. The concrete floor has 

 all the advantages necessary in 19 and 20. 



19. The bottom-board should slant towards the entrance 

 to facilitate the carrying out of the dead bees and 

 other useless substances; to aid a colony in protecting 

 itself against robbers; to carry off moisture, and to 

 prevent rain beating into the hive. 



The slight inclination towards the entrance, necessary to 

 keep the rain from driving in would be no aid to the bees in carry- 



