14 



IU'i--l'c( I'lniii ill I'ictiiriii. 



Bees of this 

 banded Italians 



h.ilian i^ thr Goldt-n Italian whicli was secured bv select breeding for 



colnur, or by crossing with Cyprians. It has live yello^v bands instead 



ol three — practicalK ihe whole of the abdomen is yellow. 



\ariety are more susce[)tible to cold and wet than the three 



and rather predisposed to Bee- Paralysis. Italians, when pure, do not cap 



iheir combs so white as black bees do, and are therefore less suitable for 



tli(; |iroducti(in of comb hone> . 



riic Cxpnan in appearance, and many other respects, resembles the 

 llalian. It is somewhat slimmer, the yellow rings are of a deeper shade, 

 ,iiid the fuzz rings oF the .segments whiter. Cyprians are good breeders, 

 sometimes continuing brood rearijig when a honey-flow lias stopped till all 

 stores are consumed" They raise a large number of fine queen cells at 

 swarming time or when made qucenless. Their undesirable characteristic 

 is \'iciousness during a dearth of nectar, when e\-en the u.se of smoke, so 

 ■ fftVctive with other races, will not subdue them. As they are not superior 

 to Italians in honev gathering thev are not desirable, and not many are 

 now kept in Victoria. 



The Canuolan is one of the niDre recent introductions, in appearance 

 and habits resembles the black bee, from which it is distinguished by the 

 greyish colour of the segment rings. Carniolans are excessive swarmers, 

 as gentle as Italians when pure, but owing to their close resemblance to 

 blacks it is difficult to maintain purity of race. Taking the experience of 

 the largest honey producers of this State for guidance the three banded 

 Italians can be recrjm mended as the best bees to keep for honey produc- 

 tion, 



H,.\NDLING OF BeE.S. 



The sting of the bee is an important factor in preventing over produc- 

 tion of honp\ . There are many persons who have an almost unreasonable 



tear of bfcs, or. rather of getting 

 stung, and \-ft there ai'c very few 

 peo])le to whom a sting causes more 

 than a sharii pain for a short time 

 and some discomfort throu,t,'h swell- 

 ing of the affected part Both i.iain 

 and swelling become less and less 

 after a number of stings have been 

 icceived and the seasoned bee- 

 keeper, while reducing the number 

 of stings he receives to a minimum 

 by observing certain rules, takes 

 ittle notice of the stings he does 

 receive beyond removing them 

 omptly. There are, however, 

 some individuals to whom a stint; 

 caus« serious pain and protracted 

 discomfort, and to whom bees have 

 a lasti g dislike — attacking them 

 whenever they come near hives. 

 Such people should have nothing 

 to do with bees. .Most, however, 

 after being stung a number of times 



(Ki'iuodu 



.1 B C 0/ 1-Sfc CiiUur: 



