THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
23 
To No. 2. — I have never been troubled with 
the bee moth. H. Naveau. 
To No. 3. — The weed mentioned — ketlock or 
catlock— is unknown to me ; if the botanical 
name is given I might be able to reply. 
H. Naveau. 
The plant referred to is frequently seen 
making corn fields yellow as the grain comes 
into ear. and bees seem very fond of it, for 
some fields this season covered with its flower 
were quite noisy with the hum of bees. This 
weed has different names in different coun- 
tries, its botanical name is Sinapis Arvensis or 
the field mustard, and is a good honey- 
producing flower in Europe. Ed. 
To No. 4. — Theappearauce of the small shiny 
lee among Italian stocks was noted in America 
in August of this year. It was also observed in 
South Australia this season, but no satisfactory 
explanation of the presence of this defective 
bee has yet been given. In some stocks they 
are very numerous ; but they get rapidly 
killed off by the fully-developed bees, and 
heaps of dead ones are seen in the front of 
some hives. A South Australian beekeeper 
states that they disappeared last year directly 
there was a good flow of honey. 
These bees are marked like the other 
Italians, but being quite free of the yellow 
down (bald in fact) they have an intensely 
black and shiny appearance, except on the 
yellow segments. Many of them are very 
small, not above half the size of a full-sized 
bee. They are found in strong healthy stocks 
as well as in weak ones, but are certainly 
worse in hives scantily supplied with honey 
than in those with full combs. It is pos- 
sible they are the result of too rapid 
breeding. When, either from lack of proper 
or sufficient nutriment while in the larva 
condition, or deficient nursing power, a 
quantity do not attain the normal develop- 
ment before reaching the proper stage — 
whatever may be the cause, it is seriously 
affecting all Italian and hybrid stocks just 
now. We must wait for further development 
of this subject. Ed. 
To No. 4. — Every bee on leaving the cell 
leaves its shift (or cocoon) behind, on this 
account the bees hatched in cells which are 
very old are smaller in size than those out 
of new combs, and dwarfed or deformed 
bees are mercilessly thrown out of the hives. 
H. Naveau. 
To No. 5 — This is a hard nut to crack. In 
my estimation A. J. Root's “A B.C. on Bee 
Culture ” is without doubt one of the best for a 
beginner ; but the perusal of one book only 
gives insufficient information. Quinby’s “New 
Beekeeping," by L. C. Root, is another very 
good book, and so is “ Langstroth on the 
Honey Bee,” but whether any of these are to 
be obtained in the colony I am unable to state. 
H. Naveau. 
The best books on apiculture generally are 
as follows. Hunter’s “ Beekeeping,” Cheshire’s 
“ Practical Beekeeping,” Quinby’s “ New Bee- 
keeping,” Root’s “A. B.C. of Apiculture,” Dzrer- 
son’s “ Rational Beekeeping,” Cook’s “ Manual 
of the Apiary, &c.” A new book on beekeeping 
is about to be published by Mr. Cheshire. 
These books all vary in price from four up to 
seven or eight shillings. For a cheap, good, 
useful little book for beginners or cot- 
tagers there are none yet to surpass the 
handbook issued by the British Beekeepers’ 
Association, called “ Modern Beekeeping,” a 
handbook for cottagers ; the price is only six- 
pence. Unfortunately they are not obtain- 
able in Melbourne at present, but a number 
have been ordered from England. The New 
Zealand Bee Manual, by J. Hopkins, is also 
an excellent manual, moderate in price (two 
shillings,) and gives the essence of many of 
the best bee books, adapted to Australian and 
New Zealand requirements. Ed. 
To No. 6. — I do not wonder at all that the 
querist was a little puzzled, for I can believe 
in the bees swarming out, but not in their 
returning again after a week ; this must have 
been a swarm from another hive or another 
apiary. H. Naveau. 
Query No. 7. — I noticed in one of my hives 
that all the combs and the centre portions 
where brood is generally deposited all partly 
filled with honey and no eggs, larva or brood 
of any kind visible. What is the reason ? 
Is it likely the queen is dead or past laying? 
What should be done ? Beginner. 
Query No. 8.— Will some of our experi- 
enced beekeepers tell me the best kind of food 
to give to bees when they are short of honey, 
and what is the best form of feeder ? 
W. A. M. 
Query No. 9. — On opening one of my hives 
after the Christmas holidays I find every 
comb empty of honey. A fortnight before 
there was plenty on the tops of five or six 
frames. Is such a state of things usual ? 
L. S. 
Query No. 10. — Can you or any of your 
readers say if the flower of the oleander is 
poisonous to bees as I have noticed several 
dead ones remaining in the flowers ? 
Emily, Bullarook. 
Query No. 11. — Is there much honey in sun- 
flowers, and would it pay to plant largely for 
beo pasturage? Are the seeds and other 
parts of the plant of any value ? Which of 
the Eucalypti trees give the most honey, and 
how often and at what time of year do the 
more common kinds come into blossom ? 
E. L. C. 
