AUSTRALASIAN BEE MANUAL 145 



dous increase when the number of eggs laid by each 

 female moth is taken into consideration. 



The average length of the grub is one inch, and 

 " when first hatched is pale yellow with a slightly 

 darker head, and of a greyish flesh colour with a 

 reddish brown head when full grown. The length of 

 the moth is about three-quarters of an inch, has reddish 

 brown-grey forewings, which are lighter in colour 

 towards the outer or hinder margins." 



THE REMEDY. 



That wax-moths, large and small, are only enemies 

 of careless bee-keepers and of those who have not 

 advanced beyond the common box-hive stage is a well- 

 known fact. Careful, up-to-date bee-keepers have 

 nothing to fear from these or any other insect enemies. 

 Follow the golden rule of bee-keeping — viz., " Keep all 

 colonies strong ' ' — and insect enemies will never trouble. 



FUMIGATING COMBS. 



Not only the combs within the hives, but also any 

 which may happen to be unprotected,' are liable to be 

 attacked by the moth. No combs or pieces of combs 

 should be allowed to lie about ; when they are of no 

 further service they should be melted into wax at once. 

 Spare combs should always be stored in a place of safety 

 from the moth, and inspected frequently. On the first 

 sign of moths or grubs they should be fumigated, and 

 a few days afterwards they should undergo a second 

 fumigation. When there are not many to do they may 

 be suspended in empty hives about one inch apart, and 

 the latter piled one on the other, taking care that the 

 junctions of the boxes are made smoke-tight by pasting 

 a strip of paper round them. The top box of the pile 

 should contain no frames. Into this place an old iron 

 saucepan containing live wood-embers, and on to these 

 throw a couple of handfiils of sulphur, close the cover 

 securely, and keep closed for a couple of days. In a 

 large apiary it is best to have a small room fitted up^ 

 for the purpose. Two or three pounds of sulphur w3I 

 be sufficient for a large room. 



