22 The Bulletin. 



In the case of all three races of bees the bee-moth is much less 

 destructive in the frame hives than in either boxes or log "gums"; 

 also, it is less destructive in the boxes than in the gums, though it is 

 only in case of the Blacks that we have enough reports to thoroughly 

 establish the fact. A study of the table shovt^s clearly and con- 

 vincingly that Italian bees in the frame hives are least hurt by 

 the bee-moth ; Hybrids in frame hives are hurt more, while the 

 Blacks (in the frame hives) suffer much more than either of the 

 others. With the Blacks we carry the study further and find that 

 they suffer worse in the plank-box hives than in the frame hives, 

 while the ones who suffer most of all are the Blacks in the log 

 "gums." We have seen in our studies under "Kaces of Bees" that 

 the Italians produce the most honey, the Hybrids second, and the 

 Blacks third ; and here we find that, with regard to resistance to bee- 

 moth, they take the same rank. We also found in our study of 

 "Types of Hives" that the frame hives rank first in value of 

 honey yield, the plank-box hives second, and the log "gums" last; 

 and here we find that, with regard to resistance to bee-moth, they 

 take the same rank. Nothing is plainer than that the best combinor 

 tion, both for profits and for resistance to bee-moth, is to heep 

 Italian bees in frame hives. It is equally plain that the poorest 

 combination, both with tegard to profits and bee-moth, is to keep the 

 common Black b^es in log "gums." 



It is plain, from the tables and discussion just preceding, that 

 Italian bees in the frame hives are the least subject to the rav- 

 ages of the bee-moth; but there are other very important factors 

 not included in our questions which were repeatedly stated by bee- 

 keepers in their replies. Most important among these is the fact 

 that strong colonies, with vigorous queens and a full number of 

 workers, are not usually much troubled ; but if the colony becomes 

 weak or depleted from any cause, the bee-moth is likely to gain a 

 foothold and keep the colony weak until it may kill out the swarm 

 entirely. Freezing, long rainy spells, poor honey flow, being queen- 

 less for a time, too severe robbing — all these things tend to deplete 

 the_ colony so that the bee-moth takes possession. Most of our keen, 

 active bee-keepers are fully aware of these facts, but every now and 

 again we receive a mournful complaint from some one who is much 

 worried by the bee-moth, when, likely as not, he is keeping the Black 

 bees in old log "gums," the very conditions which enable the bee- 

 moth to do its greatest destruction. 



In order to further emphasize the points brought out in reference 

 to the injury by bee-moth, and the methods of avoiding it, we quote 

 from the reports of several of our North Carolina bee-keepers on the 



