12 BULLETIN 804, U. S. DEPABTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



This improvement continued after the queen was caged and became 

 more marked after she was removed from the colony. 



These bees were better house cleaners as well; the appearance of 

 larvae remaining over more than one observation period did not be- 

 come evident until after the ninth day, compared with the sixth day 

 in colony G. At no time were there as many of the larvae nearly 

 ready to pupate that were gummy or rubbery. Even though this 

 colony was on the average weaker than colony G all the time, it 

 handled the disease much better. It was 14 days before colony G 

 had cleaned up to such an extent that it was deemed safe to intro- 

 duce a new queen, while in colony F, with the Italian bees, the 

 combs were so nearly cleaned of everything but a few old scales 

 that a five-frame nucleus with a nfew Italian laying queen was united 

 with this colony after a 10-day queenless period and in 9 days 

 more everything was absolutely clean and the queen was laying in 

 the combs that had had disease in them. 



When an observation was made nine days after the new queen's 

 eggs were first noted, it was found that there was a slight recurrence 

 of disease in three of the combs. But, unfortunately, at the same 

 time, queen cells and no eggs were found, denoting that for some 

 reason this queen had not been accepted. Therefore the queen cells 

 were all removed and a new queen was introduced. Although the 

 author's observations ended of necessity soon thereafter, it was 

 reported to him that this colony was doing nicely later in August 

 and was perfectly healthy. If the first new queen had not disap- 

 peared, it is quite probable that as soon as a sufficient number of 

 her bees had emerged they would have cleaned up the recurring 

 disease in the same manner as was done in colony J, which will be 

 mentioned later. 



Several times in this colony, during the cleaning-up process, bees 

 were watched in the act of sucking up juices of diseased larvae 

 that had been partially removed' from the cells with the aid of 

 forceps. 



COLONY H 



Race. — Hybrid, a division of Colony G, hybrid. 



Queen. — 1918. Of their own raising. Poor. 



5ees.— Dark hybrids, almost black, excitable. 



Condition of colony at time of infection. — Brood in three frames, a few 



eggs in one, only one small patch sealed, the remainder from eggs up to 



4-day larva. Bees covering about five frames. Fairly good proportion 



of nurse bees. 

 Date of first infection. — July 1, 1918; second infection, July 8, 1918. 

 Material used.— 20 old, dried, rubbery, diseased scales from sample No. 



5898, macerated in 250 e. c. of a 50 per cent sugar sirup, colored with 



eosin. 

 First appearance of disease noted. — July 5, doubtful. Positive July 8, 7 



days after infection. 

 Age of larvm first attacked. — Four days after hatching from the egg. 



