Enemies oj Bees — Robber Flies. 317 



We have already spoken of caution as to comb honey and 

 frames of comb, and so need not speak further of them. 



TWO DESTEUCTIVE BEETLES. 



There are two destructive beetles that often work on the 

 comb, more, however, for the pollen and dead bees than for 

 the wax. One of these, TenebrioneUus molitor, Linn. , is the 

 common flour or meal beetle. It is dark brown in color, and 

 five-eighths of an inch (16 mm.) long. The larva or grub is 

 of a lighter color and when fully developed is one inch (25 

 mm.) long. It resembles very closely the larva of our Elater 

 beetles — the wire worms. The other is the bacon beetle, Der- 

 raestes lardariics, Linn. , which is a sore pest in museums, as it 

 feeds on all kinds of dried animal tissues. Thebeetle is black, 

 while nearly one-half of the wing covers, next to the thorax, 

 are yellowish gray, lined in the middle with black. The bee- 

 tle is three-eighths of an inch (10 mm.) long. The larva is 

 some longer, very hairy, and ringed with brown and black 

 bands. These beetles are not very troublesome in the apiary 

 and can be readily destroyed by use of bisulphide of carbon. 

 Care is necessary, however, in the use of this very explosive 

 liquid. 



ROBBER FLIES. 



There are several of these flies that prey upon bees. The 

 Fig. 172. 



most common is AsUus Missouriensis, Riley. This is a two- 

 winged fly, of the predacious family AsUvdoe, which attacks 



