34: Texas Ageicultue-A-L Experiment Station 



AETIFICIAL CONTROL 



Unfortunately, the only natural enemy of -the beemoth that is present 

 to any great extent in Texas is the honey bee itself. In the absence 

 of any natural enemies of importance, the measure of artificial control 

 must be made all the more effective if the beekeeper is to free his 

 apiary of the pest. If the moths are driven from the hives by strong 

 colonies of Italianized bees, they will surely seek scraps of comb and 

 wax about the ground and stored comb and honey in the honey house. 

 It seems quite likely that in such cases the eggs are deposited as near 

 to the comb as possible, as along the cracks between the supers, and the 

 larvae, after hatching, find their way to the comb through crevices much 

 smaller than the moth can enter. 



TRAP LIGHTS 



Trap lights were employed to learn if the moths were attracted to 

 them. On September 10, 1913, a large lantern and an acetylene lamp 

 were placed in an apiary where the beemoth had been present con- 

 stantly. The lights were so placed as to throw the rays across the 

 apiary over a great number of hives. The night was warm, clear, and 

 still. The lights were run from 7:30 to 10 p. m. Not a single bee- 

 moth was ever present at either light. 



Again on September 27, 1913, the trap lights were put in operation 

 in the same apiary. The day had been rainy and it was still misty in 

 the evening, which was also very dark. No moths were ever at the 

 lights. 



DECOY BOXES 



Decoy boxes containing pieces of comb were placed in and around 

 the apiary. These were put out during September, 1913, and remained 

 under observation until December. None of the twelve boxes was ever 

 infested during this period. 



FUMIGATION 



One of the methods of artificial control, and one upon which many 

 beekeepers depend, is fumigation of combs and honey. Gas is able to 

 penetrate material that it is not possible to treat in any other manner. 

 The fumigation process is not difficult, for when once started no fur- 

 ther attention is necessary until the treatment is complete. It is not 

 necessary to watch the entire process. Stored material, such as comb 

 honey and empty combs, should be examined from time to time and at 

 the first evidence of the waxworm they should be fumigated. Stored 

 material of this kind should be examined at least once every week dur- 

 ing the summer and' once every month during the winter season, so as 

 to detect the infestation at the start. 



In the present investigation two materials have been used in the 

 fumigating experiments. These were selected because almost every bee- 

 keeper is acquainted with them and they can be obtained in practically 



