48 SUCCESSFUL BEE-KEEPING. 
leave them on the brood combs. As soon as, hatched, the 
worm encloses itself for protection in a silken case, which, 
extended, becomes its gallery, or course, through the comb 
along its central wall. : 
The nearest approach to a “ moth-proof” hive, is one so 
constructed that the miller can find no crevice in its inte- 
rior, to which the bees do not have access, in which to 
deposit her eggs. Where two pieces of wood come 
together is the place sought by the moth, thrusting in 
her ovipositor and leaving the egg to hatch and begin 
its gallery beyond the reach of the bees. In passing 
from this point through the hive and combs, the worm 
continues to spin its silken protection, which is proof 
against all assaults of the honey bee. Once safely within 
the comb, the moth, protected by its gallery, passes along 
the wall at the base of the cells, sticking fast in its silken 
toils the unhatched bees. I have seen thousands of them 
just ready to emerge, vainly struggling to free their ex- 
tremities from the grasp of the destroyer ; these soon per- 
ish. The only remedy is, to cut away the worm gallery 
and remove the dead and dying brood. The moth does 
not directly destroy the brood, but only feeds on the wax 
of the cells and the food deposited therein for the devel- 
opment of the young bees. 
A strong, vigorous stock, having a fertile queen, will 
not allow the moth thus to get possession of the hive ; 
and if, while destitute of a queen, a foothold is gained, the 
bees, on the maturity of the young queen, will cut away 
the comb possessed by the worms, letting it fall to the 
bottom. They will then carry from the hive by piece- 
meal such portions of it as they can separate from the 
mass, plastering over the remainder, if any, with their 
propolis. Swarms not sufficiently populous to cover all 
