MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 267 



danger. The intelligent apiarist will also provide, not only 

 against weak, but queenless colonies as well, which from their 

 abject discouragement, are the surest victims to moth inva- 

 sion. Knowing that destruction is sure, they seem, if not 

 to court death, to make no effort to delay it. 



In working with bees, an occasional web will be seen 

 glistening in the comb, which should be picked out with a 

 knife till the manufacturer — the ruthless larva — is found, 

 when it should be crushed. Any larva seen about the bot- 

 tom board, seeking a place to spin its cocoon, or any pupae, 

 either on comb or in crack, should also be killed. If, 

 through carelessness, a colony has become hopelessly victim- 

 ized by these filthy, stinking, wax devourers, then the bees 

 and any combs not attacked should be transferred to another 

 hive, after which the old hive should be sulphured by use of 

 the smoker, as before described (page 216), then by giving one or 

 two each of the remaining combs to strong colonies, after kill- 

 ing any pupae that may be on them, they will be cleaned 

 and used, while by giving the enfeebled colony brood, if it 

 has any vigor remaining, and if necessary a good queen, it 

 will soon be rejoicing in strength and prosperity. 



We have already spoken of caution as to comb honey and 

 frames of comb (page 216), and so need not speak further of 

 them. 



BEE KILLER — Asilus Missouriensis, Riley. 



This is a two-winged fly, of the predacious family Asilidae, 

 which attacks, and takes captive the bee and then feeds upon 

 its fluids. It is confined to the southern part of our country. 



The fly (Fig. 108) has a long, pointed abdomen, strong 

 wings, and is very powerful. I have seen an allied species 

 attack and overcome the powerful tiger-beetle, whereupon I 

 took them both with my net, and now have them pinned, as 

 they were captured, in our College cabinet. These flies, de- 

 light in the warm sunshine, are very quick on the wing, and 

 are thus not easily captured. It is to be hoped that they 

 will not become very numerous. If they should, I hardly 

 know how they could be kept from their evil work. Fright- 

 ening them, or catching with a net might be tried, yet these 

 methods would irritate the bees, and need to be tried before 



