116 BEE-KEEPING FOR PROFIT 
than the bee that has cause to dislike the 
green fly. To the bee, indeed, the aphis ranks 
as great a friend as it does to the ant. To 
both it is the excretion with which the aphis 
surrounds itself that is the attraction. To the 
gardener and the bee-keeper, however, it is 
an abomination to be warred against by all 
means at command. 
The excretion of the aphis, popularly known 
as ‘‘honeydew,”’ is white when at first sprayed 
out by the little creature, but after it is stored 
by the bee in the comb its presence is marked 
by a dark patch in the honey, and the bee- 
keeper knows that the latter is spoiled. This 
dark colour is attributed to a fungus generated 
by the honeydew. Where large quantities of 
honeydew are contained in combs the most 
economical method of dealing with the latter 
is to give them to the bees for drawing-out 
combs, for it is practically impossible to separate 
the honey, and for commercial purposes the 
presence of honeydew is prejudicial. 
Occasionally honey that contains honeydew 
will crystallise, sometimes to look like a 
sponge, and in such cases the honeydew can 
be run off. If not so treated it will ferment 
and permeate the candied honey. 
Wasps.— When particularly numerous, wasps 
