AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 143 



ENEMIES. 



The list of enemies of the bee usually set down in bee 

 books published in the Northern Hemisphere includes 

 ants, bee moths, some kinds of birds, mice, toads, and 

 wasps. 



ANTS. 



New Zealand is singularly free from the larger kinds 

 of ants. In some .parts of Australia they are trouble- 

 some more or less, but it is not difficult to deal with 

 them. The best plan is to seek out and destroy their 

 nests. Kerosene, or bisulphide of carbon, poured into 

 holes made in the nests with an iron rod or crowbar, 

 will destroy them. If the bisulphide is used, care must 

 be taken with it, as it is very explosive; kerosene is the 

 safest to use and I believe quite as effective as the other. 



BIRDS. 



Now and again some of our birds help themselves to 

 a dainty meal off hive-bees. I have occasionally seen 

 kingfishers at this work, and have frequently had to 

 drive sparrows away from near the entrances of hives 

 where they have been catching bees. I don't think 

 much damage is at present done by birds, and it is to 

 be hoped that it will not increase in the future. 



With regard to the other animals mentioned, I am 

 not aware that they may be reckoned among the enemies 

 in this part of the world. Mice, and even rats, do 

 sometimes get into hives, but this can only occur where 

 there is a very careless bee-keeper, and nothing further 

 need be said about it. 



THE BEE OR WAX MOTHS. 



So far as I am aware, there are only two wax moths 

 in Australasia — the large one, Galleria mellonella, and 

 the small one, AchrcBa grissella. The later we seem 

 to have always had with us, but the former, and the 



