Isle of Wight Disease in Hive Bees. 57 



Eggs were found in the parent stock (DEP) on 14th June, and the queen 

 of the first swarm (DES 1) began to lay on the 15th. 



The queen in the second swarm was long in being mated, and was balled 

 by the bees on 28th June. A black virgin queen was introduced on the 30th 

 June, and she began to lay in due course. The other two queens were as 

 yellow as pure Italians, and the young bees were also light coloured. 



The population of the parent stock was much depleted by the double 

 swarming, and further, on 23rd June, foul brood was found to be present. 

 This was a variety which attacks the larvae before sealing, and attempts were 

 made to treat the infected cells with dilute formalin. This treatment was 

 successful so far in that the disease appeared to be checked, but unfortunately 

 the queen was lost either during the manipulation, or poisoned by the formalin 

 vapour. Queen cells were made from the brood in the hive and a black queen 

 was produced, which ultimately began to lay. The stock was now very weak 

 in numbers but was active in raising brood, in defending the hive against 

 robbers, and in carrying pollen. 



Up to 4th September it could not be said that there were any symptoms 

 in the apiary of Isle of "Wight disease. From the nature of the experiment 

 here being recorded, a specially close watch was kept for indications of its 

 appearing. Only at one period were suspicions aroused. The month of July 

 was very wet and must have been very trying to the bees. On the 25th, a 

 few " crawling " bees were seen in front of the parent stock and also the iirst 

 swarm, as well as in front of another stock of black bees not related to the 

 bees of the present experiment. And again, on the 31st, it is recorded that there 

 were a few " crawlers," most in front of the first swarm (DES 1). August was 

 also a wet month, but nothing of a suspicious nature was noticed. In spite of 

 the very adverse circumstances above narrated, all three stocks remained 

 perfectly healthy, and up to this date (20th September) the parent stock, 

 which is housed in the presumably infected hive, was fed with honey from this 

 hive, and was later given some of the original combs, is healthy and, as far as 

 the eye can judge, growing in prosperity. 



On 30th September, a lot of driven bees from which the queen had been 

 removed was imported from North Wales and added to the little stock (DEP). 

 The bees were fed on sugar syrup boiled with vinegar and were packed down 

 for winter. 



On 14th October, the first fine day since the addition of the Welsh bees, 

 large numbers of bees were seen out upon the alighting board. This was 

 probably related to robbing, which was being actively attempted at several 

 hives in the apiary. 



On the 28th December, a mild day, with a few bees offering to fly, the hive 



