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DR. MILLER'S 
colony start work in a section that will not begin on a bait, there 
is no such way. You may force them to go into the super by put- 
ting some brood in it, but that will not force them to store there 
if there is plenty of room to store in the brood-chamber. 
Legs of Bees. — Q. I think I have something new this season. 
My bees have great long thongs dangling about their feet, and 
when they alight these thongs lie on the alighting-board to one 
side of the bees’ feet. They are about one-eighth of an inch long, 
and just as red as can be. What are those false thongs on my 
bees’ feet? Are they natural or not? 
A. I think what you call “false thongs” must be the pollen 
masses from milkweed. In some cases it gets so bad that the bees 
can hardly climb upon the combs, and I have seen the other bees 
drive them out of the hive. Sometimes the bees are fastened upon 
the blossoms, not being able to tear away, and if you examine the 
milkweed blossoms in your vicinity you may find some dead bees 
upon them. But these plants are good honey-plants, and perhaps 
in this way pay for the injury done to the bees. 
Leaves for Cushions. — Q. Are dry forest leaves as good as 
anything for the absorbent cushion? 
A. Nothing could be much better, unless it be cork chips. 
Lemon Juice. — Q. One man says to put lemon juice in sugar 
syrup and it is as good as honey for the bees. What do you think 
of it? 
A. It would be better without the lemon juice, unless it be 
just enough to keep the syrup from granulating. 
Lettering in Comb Honey. — Q. How is the lettering or spelling 
in raised letters on* comb honey done? Please explain. 
A. I know little about it practically. Usually this is done by 
inserting in the section or comb the letters in wood, then place 
th?se over a very strong colony to draw out and seal. 
Lice. — Q. There is a spider-like insect that clings to the backs 
of my bees, in some cases covering the fore part of queens all 
over; of a reddish color, about the size of a pinhead. Is this the 
Italian bee-louse? It makes no difference whether the colony is 
strong or weak. Is there any way of getting rid of these? The 
temperature gets very high here in summer. Would the heat 
breed these things? (British Columbia.) 
A. Yes, it may be braula coeca, or the blind louse, although 
I don’t remember to have heard of such a case this side of the 
ocean. It is said smoking with tobacco will make the louse loose 
its hold. Fortunately, it is not so very dangerous. Please send 
a sample to Dr. E. F. Phillips, Washington, D. C. 
