ENEMIES OF BEES. 93 



and place a saucer on the floor-board, into which put about 

 twenty drops of bromine; quickly return the roof and allow 

 the hive to stand for twenty-four hours ; repeat this, and then 

 wash the hive with a solution of ^oz. of bromine to a gallon 

 of water. 



142. Care to he exercised when using Bromine. — 



As this is an exceedingly volatile and dangerous drug, great 

 care must be exercised in its use. Keep the bottle stoppered 

 with glass and enclosed in a hermetically-sealed outer case. 

 Do not inhale the fumes, which can be seen distinctly. 



XIII.— ENEMIES OF BEES. 



Luckily for the bee-keeper, the British Islands contain very few 

 bee-enemies, and with few exceptions — which do not come under 

 the usual acceptance of the term enemy — little fear may be enter- 

 tained of much damage occurring by their depredations. Among 

 those which attack a colony openly, and are usually denominated 

 enemies, various birds are included — these commit the greatest 

 amount of damage ; next in importance are wasps, toads, mice, 

 moths, and spiders ; but those which, although committing a far 

 greater amount of harm to the colonies, are not usually placed 

 in the category of bee-enemies, are fertile workers and aphides 

 (green or black fly). 



143. Birds. — These may be divided into two classes — 

 domesticated and wild. Among domesticated, ducks will be 

 found the most destructive ; they seem quite proof against the 

 stings. Frequently have we seen them watching at the entrance 

 of hives, and " gobbling " the bees up almost as fast as they 

 emerged or alighted. Fowls, as well as ducks, will frequently con- 

 tract the habit of bee-killing ; but in both of these cases, as with 

 wild birds, it appears to be individual birds who contract this 

 habit, and so the whole of the members of any species or variety 

 must not be branded as "apicides." The Great Tit (Parus 

 major) and the Blue Tit (Parus caruleus) are both addicted to the 

 habit of killing bees, watching at the entrance and snapping up 

 any bee that emerges from it. The Cole Tit (Parus ater) will fre- 

 quently eat dead bees, a few of which are usually found on the ground 

 under the entrance to hives ; but we have failed to discover any mem- 

 ber of this variety killing bees. Many bee-keepers have supposed 

 that the Swallow (Hirundo rustica). Swift (Hirundo apus), Martin 

 (Hirundo urbica), and Sand Martin (Hirundo riparia), are ene- 

 mies, but we must differ from such an idea, and glad we are that 

 the character of these beautiful harbingers of spring can be cleared 

 of such a charge. Often have we watched the bees chasing the 

 swallows, and driving them away from the vicinity of the apiary. 

 Especially is this noticeable in early autumn, after the honey flow 



