824 Disease of Bees in the Isle of Wight, [feb., 



being covered by a light grey dust. The stomach, when 

 examined, is found to contain a small quantity of light straw- 

 coloured fluid, and at the end of the large intestine there will 

 be seen a yellow knot of partially digested pollen. (Cowan, 

 VII., 1907, p. 187.) Inability to fly seems to be the chief 

 symptom of the disease. The disease is said to be due to the 

 growth of a fungus, Mucor mellitophorus, among the fat 

 corpuscles of the abdomen. In some cases the mycelium 

 grows so thickly as to prevent the circulation of air for the 

 distention of the air-sacs, and occasionally the chyle stomach 

 is completely stopped up by spores. In the Isle of Wight 

 disease no fungoid growth of this nature has been noticed. 



Dysentery. — This usually appears in the winter and early 

 spring, when the bees are unable to leave their hives for some 

 days. Bees affected with dysentery discharge their excrement 

 over the combs and hives. The faeces are dark and muddy 

 in appearance, and often have a peculiar offensive smell. The 

 bees are weak and slow in movement, and decrease unusually 

 fast. This disease, which attacks bees during the late winter 

 and early spring, is generally ascribed to insufficient or 

 unwholesome food. The cure for this disease is very effectual. 

 It is simply to remove the cause and supply a healthy 

 regimen. According to Cheshire (Vol. II., p. 572), torulae 

 or allied organisms are frequently found in the fluids of 

 dysenteric bees. 



Though the bees suffering from the Isle of Wight disease 

 often exhibit symptoms resembling those of dysentery in the 

 early months of the year, the two diseases probably have no 

 connection with one another, since the one is not influenced 

 by treatment, while the other yields to it readily. Moreover, 

 I have been unable to demonstrate the organisms found by 

 Cheshire in the contents of the alimentary canal, and bee- 

 keepers have not noticed any offensive smell or fermentation 

 in the honey which often accompanies dysentery. 



Appendix. 



Observations on Diseased Bees Kept in Confinement. — A 

 strong stock of bees, which had shown signs of the disease 

 for several weeks, was sent by Mr. H. M. Cooper, of Thorley, 

 Isle of Wight, and arrived on June 27th, 1908. A few had 



