483 
: Considerable trouble has been experienced in the 
White ants, or experimental apiary with white ants honeycomb- 
Termites ing the legs of the bee stands, A very satis- 
factory remedy for this trouble is to soak the 
legs of the stand thoroughly in creosote. 
Whenever trouble results from either of these 
Ants, roaches sources one may conclude immediately that the 
and spiders colony is in a highly weakened condition and im- 
mediate attention is demanded. No other remedy 
is necessary than to get the colony strong. 
; Bee martins will frequent an apiary from time 
Birds to time and destroy a considerable number of bees. 
They seem to be partial to young queens and have 
caused the queen breeders appreciable loss. A little care, however, 
will induce this bird to leave. Shooting at the bird, not trying to kill 
it, has given success. 
The cause of American foul brood is now known 
American foul to be a microscopic organism called Bacillus larvae 
brood White. Dr. E. F. Phillips, in charge of apicul- 
tural investigations of the U. S. Department of 
Agriculture, describes this disease as follows: 
“When the larvae are first affected they turn to a light choeolate 
color and in the advanced stages of decay become darker, resembling 
roasted coffee in color. Usually the larvae are attacked at about the 
time of capping, and most of the cells containing infected larvae are 
capped. As decay proceeds, these cappings become sunken and per- 
forated, and, as the healthy brood emerges, the comb shows the scat- 
tered cells containing larvae which have died of disease, still capped. 
The most noticeable characteristic of this infection is the fact that 
when a small stick is inserted in a larvae which has died of the dis- 
ease, and then slowly removed, the broken-down tissues adhere to it 
and will often stretch out for several inches before breaking. When 
the larva dries, it forms a dark brown color, which can best be ob- 
served when the comb is held so that a bright light strikes the lower 
side wall of the cell. Decaying larvae which have died of this disease 
have a very characteristic odor, which resembles a poor quality of glue. 
The disease seldom attacks drone or queen larvae.” 
Dr. Phillips describes the European foul brood as follows: 
“This disease attacks larvae earlier than does 
European foul American foul brood, and a comparatively small 
brood. percentage of the diseased brood is ever capped. 
The diseased larvae which are capped over have 
sunken and perforated cappings. The larvae when first attacked show 
a small yellow spot on the body near the head and move uneasily in 
the cell. When death occurs they turn yellow, then brown, and final- 
ly almost black. Decaying larvae which have died of this disease do 
not usually stretch out in a long thread when a small stick is inserted 
and slowly removed. Occasionally, there is a very slight ‘ropiness,’ but 
this is never very marked. The thoroughly dried larvae form irregular 
scales, which are not strongly adherent to the lower side wall of the 
cell. There is very little odor from decaying larvae which have died 
from this disease, and when an odor is noticeable it is not the ‘glue-pot’ 
odor of the American foul brood, but more nearly resembles that of 
soured dead brood. This disease ‘attacks drone and queen larvae very 
soon after the colony is infected. It is as a rule much more infectious 
*The Brood Diseases of Bees, by E. F. Phillips, Ph. D. Circular 79, Bureau of 
Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, pp. 1-2, 1906. 
i 
