No. 9, 
VoL. IV. AUGUSTA,- GA., SEPTEMBER, 1846. 
BOTS, 
The Natural History of the Horse Bee, 
With a Variety of Experiments and Observations on 
BotStVery irileresling : communicatpcl to the Medi- 
cal and Agricultural Register, in a letter from the 
Rev. Rowland Green, Jr., dated Mansfield, JMass., 
February 20, ItOd. 
Dr. Adams: — Within the circle of my ac- 
quaintaijce there has been many horses lost by 
bots. This was considered as a growing evii, 
and prompted the writer to endeavor to trace 
them through their several stages. Many ex- 
periments were made to ascertain lacts, from 
which the writer has not knowingly deviated. 
Imperteci as the history is, it is offered for your 
perusal; and if you should think it would be 
beneficial to the public, or be the means ot lead- 
ing to some more effectual remedy, you may 
make what use of it you shall think best. 
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HORSE BEE. 
The natural history ol horse-bees is involved 
in obscurity. Many concurring circumstances 
hinder us from exhibiting a complete history, 
their econotny being different from that of other 
insects. They are, in a certain peri.id ol their 
existence, placed beyond the scope of obse'rva- 
tion ; hence it is almost impossible to trace them 
from their first or imperfect state to their Iasi or 
perfect. 
They are the most contemptible of all in- 
sects; and tiiere is scarcely an^' part of their 
existence in which tli>y are harmless. Prom 
this circumstance, the following observations 
and exoerimenis were made, hoping that they 
would lead to the discovery of some effectual 
remedy. 
Many valuable horses are lost by these in- 
sects, which (while in their imperfect state,) for 
a season inh-tbit the stomach, prey upon it, de- 
stroy its texture, and inirodtice convulsions and 
death. 
The insects, in their pj^rfect state, commonly 
present themselves to out observation; there- 
fore we shall begin with them in this state, and 
endeavor to trace their offspring through their 
various gradations of “youth, vigor, and oi l 
age,’’ or until they arrive to the perfect state, 
which is completed in about 12 months. 
The insects appear towards the last ot June 
or first of July, but are most numerous in Au- 
gust and September. Few are to be seen after 
one or two cold evenings. In 1801 they appear- 
ea on the 22.1 of June, and towards the last of 
September following there was a severe frost, 
after which but very few were seen, althougb 
very numerous before. 
There are two kinds, one larger than the 
other. The difference in their appearance is, 
the smaller kind have generally more down, and 
are ot a darker color than the larger ; also, the 
smaller have transparent wings, but the wings 
of the larger kind have darkish shades. The 
principal difference in their economy is, that 
the larger kind generally cast their eggs on 
those parts ot the horse where he can bite, es- 
pecially on the anterior legs, but never under 
the throat; whereas the smalier never cast their 
eggs bn any part of the horse except under his 
throat. These last prove very troublesome to 
the horse, as any farmer can te.stify. Each kind 
varies in size^ but in general they are about 
three-fourths of an inch in length. The body 
of the female is much larger than that of the 
male, it being conical, or ending in a tube, 
(through which the eggs are passed,) which 
I when they fly is folded up. They are very ex- 
peditious in cementing their eggs to the hair, 
especially the smaller kind, which do it with 
incredible quickness. 
The eggs are fastened to the hair by a strong 
cement, which neither the heat ot the animal, 
combined with moisture, nor frost, v.dll dissolve. 
They are about three-fourths of a line in length 
and ot a light yellow color, and are always 
placed on the hair with the largest end down- 
wards. One female, of a middle size, was 
known to contain 891 eggs— this being the last- 
work assigned, which \vhenconcluded71he rnkle- 
and female perish. 
It has been supposed that the horse’s stomach 
was the only fit place for the eggs to hatch, and 
that the eggs were taken in by the horse’s biting 
himself, &c., but this is not well founded. 
These eggs, like all others, require a certain 
lime to hatch. The insect in miniature must 
have time to expand before it can burst from its 
confinement; and this if may do, if the atmos- 
phere is ot a proper warmth, in about 20 days* 
after the egg is cast ; but they do not generally 
burst the eggs so soon, either from cold weather, t 
(wifich retards their co ning our, and perhaps 
their growth,) toughness of the shell, or for the 
want of pressure. When the insect is formed, 
and ready to break from its prison, it seems to 
wait for some pressure, on which the shell is 
broken at the largest end ; and the insect, though 
very small, appears to be active. When this 
minute creature bursts the shell by its own ac- 
cord, it commonly remains for some time only 
a part out ot the shell, waiting perhaps for the 
horse to take him in. They are now ready to 
enter the horse’s stomach, which they do by the 
horse biting himself or o hers; or ihey may fail 
0 1 tl;e grass, and be taken in while the horse is 
feeding. It is probable that those of the small- 
er kind, under the throat, may travel to and enter 
the mouth, and from thence be carried into the 
stomach. 
These young bots (commonly so called) are 
provided with two sharp books, by which, when 
they -arrive at the storn.ach, they_ take hold, and 
there prey upon the horse until they arrive to 
their lull growth: but fortunately very ft w 
come to maturity, most are destroyed in their 
infancy; yet it is too often the case that to'o ma- 
nv remain consistent with the life of the animal. 
When they are full grown, they are about three- 
fourths of an inch in length, and about one- 
fourth o-f an inch in thickness at the larger end, 
which has every appearance, to the naked eye, 
of being the seed of the insect, but the reverse 
of this is irue. At the smaller end (which is 
somewhat pointed.) are the two hooks by which 
they hold fast. Thf^v are covered with a thick 
tough skin, with ten folds or rings, which seem 
to be a chain of annular muscles, whose fibres 
being contracted render the rings more narrovr 
than before, and by these means they move 
from place to place, stretching forwards and 
taking hold with the hooks, and then contract- 
ing themselves, which contraction draws them 
onwards; then unfasten and stretch again, and 
so on. In those rings, except the three poste- 
'-•Sepiember 12. I'02, plaoeu a number of eggs (just 
cast.) in a moderate temperature of heat ; on ihe dOih 
four hatched, and on October 2d, two more came out 
by pressure ; oiheis hatched not so soon. 
tJanuary, 1802, after severe frosty weather, eggs 
were taken from a horse and placed in a warm room ; 
some hatched in five days, others in twelve. Eggs 
cast ill September may- not hatch untif vlie spring fol- 
fo-wing. 
rior, are set numerous small sharp points or 
thorns, projecting backwards, which prevent 
them from slipping back when moving. 
They penetrate deep into the stomach, form- 
ing holes in it, and there hang by their hooks, 
which are exceedingly sharp. If they at any 
time lose their hold they immediately catch 
again. jMotany part of the stomach is exempt- 
ed from them ; but they are most numerous 
near the passages into and out of the stomach, 
where they many tim'es place themselves in 
■llir^at order. They are of all insects the most 
tenacious of life, at this period; and at this 
time it is that they prove so destructive to hors- 
es. Those horses that die of bots, most com- 
monly die in the months of February, March 
or April; however, this depends on the number 
and growth of the bots, and the injury done to 
the stomach. How long it is necessary for 
them to dwell in the stomach is unknown ; but 
in the months of May, June and July, especial- 
ly the two latter, they- pass the intestines and 
immediately seek refuge in the earth, at an un- 
certain depth, according to the hardness of the 
soil. Al this time they are of a light color. 
The second day after they go into the earth they 
become contracted in length, less active, and of 
a light mahogany color. In one or two days 
more, stiff, hard, and the color darker: — they 
are now rather more than half an inch in length, 
and nearly one-fourth of an inch in diameter, 
oblong, motionless, and the points and hooks 
almost obliterated. They do not cast off" the 
skin, (which becomes a shell,) as many oiher 
insects do, when they pass into the chrysalis or 
aurelian slate. The wings when formed are 
folded up, but expand when they arise to new 
life. In thirty days after they enter the earth, 
the bee or perfect insect breaks the shell near 
its smallest end, and comes out a renovated 
creature; “ everything is changed, all its pow- 
ers are new, and life to it is another thing.” 
With certain individuals there is some varia- 
tion as to the length of the aurelian period; 
from certain causes it may beprotracted beyond 
the usual period. They in many respects re- 
semble the honey bee, especially when flying; 
they are of a lighter color, and have not the 
tongue necessary to draw honey from flowers. 
It is probable they eat not in the perfect state, 
being doomed only to the continuation of their 
species. Their legs are six in number. They 
are notactive in the night. A further descrip- 
tion perhaps is not necessary. 
General Symptoms of Botsin Horses.— Some- 
times horses which are hard worked discover 
no apparent symptoms until death. In young 
.horses the symptoms are generally belter ascer 
tained. In general the horse loses flesh, coughs, 
eats but sparingly, bites his sides, and some- 
times with violence; These symptoms con- 
tinue and increase for a longer or shorter li.mc, 
according to the violence of the case, and then 
a discharge from the nose commonly takes 
place; and at length stiffness ot the legs and 
neck, staggering, laborious breathing, convul- 
sions and death. 
Appearance on Dissection. - Bots in abundance 
collected near the passages intu and out of the 
stomach, and of various sizes, acc^rdins to the 
time ot their residences there. The texture of 
the stomach penetrated and greatl> injured. 
The internal coat ot the stomach appeals thick- 
ened and preternaturally hard on those pans 
where the greatest injury is done. In tour out 
