DISEASES OF BEES. 89 



Thus, one person's folly or selfishness has caused misfortunes 

 too numerous to particularise. 



138. Dysentery. — This disease, as its name implies, is a 

 form of diarrhoea. It affects bees during late winter or early 

 spring. The causes are insufficient or unwholesome food — mostly 

 the latter — dampness, and often disturbances occurring during 

 what ought to be a lengthened period of semi-hybernation, pre- 

 venting the repose necessary at such a time. The bees consume 

 a much larger quantity of honey than is natural for them, and 

 having, on account of the bad weather, no chance of going abroad 

 to relieve themselves, their bodies become distended with the 

 consequent accumulation of fceces, which produce inflammation, 

 dysentery, and death. Feeding very late in the autumn produces 

 unwholesome food, as the bees being unable at such a time to seal 

 these stores, fermentation takes place, when the food turns acid. 

 Feeding with syrup made too thin is also another cause ; there 

 being too much water in the food, the bees are unable to evaporate 

 it before the cold weather sets in, and it turns sour. By this 

 it will be seen that if any food is fed to the bees after the tem- 

 perature has fallen below the point at which wax can be 

 manipulated by them into cell cappings, it must be in a per- 

 fectly dry condition, such as candy, dry sugar, unfiavoured 

 barley sugar, or sugar candy. The signs of dysentery are : 

 Soiling the combs, the inside of the hive, and around the entrance, 

 with a dark brown, semi-liquid substance, having a very nauseous 

 smell, the bees themselves being frequently soiled with the 

 same ; their abdomens become unnaturally distended, their 

 numbers decrease, and ultimately the stock, if not attended 

 to, dwindles away and perishes. The cure for this disease 

 is very effectual : it is simply to remove the cause and supply 

 a healthy regimen. Remove the bees — in a warm room — 

 to a clean, dry hive, and supply them with warm combs of 

 honey ; then cover up with warm, dry quilts, and place them on 

 their original stands. If the weather is cold, it is imperative 

 that this should be done in a warm room ; but if a bright, 

 warm day, it can be done in the sunshine ; but the fresh hive 

 and combs must be well warmed before the transfer. It is a very 

 good plan to put a bottle of hot water on the top of the quilts 

 for a short time after. 



The signs of dysentery must not be confounded with the natural 

 marks made by the bees outside a hive after they have been con- 

 fined to it by bad weather for some considerable period. 

 These marks are quite in accordance with what might be 

 surmised ; they are always outside, on the roof, or surrounding 

 objects, and very little around the entrance. 



139. Foul Brood. — ^Various have been the surmises as to 

 the origin of this disease. It is not a modern importation. Many 



