Texas Beekeeping. 129 



moths thereupon occupy the combs the bees can not care for. It 

 often happens that colonies become weak from the ravages of diseases, 

 which are undetected or neglected by the beekeeper. If left alone, 

 these weak colonies are a source of infection to other colonies in the 

 neighborhood, by being robbed. Since the moth makes its appearance 

 and destroys these combs, which would otherwise be a menace, this 

 most prominent enemy of bees is more nearly a friend in disguise. 

 Keeping all colonies strong and having Italian, or other improved 

 bees, in good tight and clean hives, will prevent any trouble from 

 their depredations. "With common black bees, or their crosses, the 

 wax moth is much more persistent, and for this reason it pays to im- 

 prove the stock of bees. 



The adult insect is a small moth, brownish gray in appearance, 

 which lays its eggs on the combs or in crevices about the hives. The 

 eggs will hatch into small larvae which feed upon the combs. They 

 prefer those containing stored pollen or in which brood has been 

 reared. In working their way through the comb, the larvae tunnel 

 beneath the surface of these, keeping out of the reach of the bees as 

 much as possible. They line their tunnels with a thin silky web as 

 they proceed, and grow larger in size from day to day. When they 

 have reached their proper age they spin cocoons, from which they 

 emerge after a time as full grown moths. From this it will be seen 

 that the so-called "worms" are nothing but the larvae of the wax 



EXPLANATION OP FOREGOING PLATE. 



The full page illustration of the two species of beeswax-moths was ob- 

 tained through the courtesies of the A. I. Root Co., of Medina, Ohio, pub- 

 lishers ofABC&XYZof Bee Culture. It is from an article on the sub- 

 ject by Mr. Sidney OllifE, the Government Entomologist for New South 

 Wales, Australia, reproduced in the above work from the Agricultural Ga- 

 zette. The plate is from a drawing by Mrs. B. M. Grosse and the explana- 

 tion follows: 



Beeswax-Moths. 



Pig. 1. — Larva or caterpillar of Larger Beeswax-moth (Oalleria mellonella, 



Linn.), side view (much enlarged). 

 Pig. 2. — The same viewed from above (much enlarged). 

 Pig. 3. — Cocoon of same, extracted from bee-comb (enlarged). 

 Pig. 4. — Larger Beeswax-moth (Oalleria mellonella, Linn.), male (much 



enlarged) . 

 Fig. 5. — Porewing of same, female. 

 Pig. 6. — Larva or caterpillar of Lesser Beeswax-moth {Achria grisella, 



Fabr.), side view (much enlarged). 

 Pig. 7. — Pupa or Chrysalis of same (much enlarged). 

 Pig. 8. — Lesser Beeswax-moth (Achria grisella, Fabr.), (much enlarged). 

 In the background above, a comb from a frame hive is represented, show- 

 ing brood comb tunneled by the larvae of the larger beeswax-moth (Gelleria 

 mellonella, Linn.). 



The natural sizes of the Insects are Indicated by hair-lines. 



