38 
BEE-OULTURE. 
When bees are robbing, they are out in the morning before 
others are, and fly in the evening after others have become 
quiet. 
When robbery commences it should be stopped immediate- 
ly, as the robbers become stronger and stronger, until they 
become desperate, when they will pile over each other and 
struggle and fairly squeal to get into the hive. Any opera- 
tion involving risk from robbery, is best to be commenced in 
the evening, just in time to be completed before dark. The 
bees will then have the wasting honey licked up by the morn- 
ing, and those of them that have been cowed into non-resist- 
ance will have time to rally. 
Prevention is better than cure. A3 weak and queenless 
colonies are the ones always attacked, leave none such unpro- 
tected, as they are always temptations. A hive set up on 
blocks, that the bees may get in on all sides, is as objection- 
able as to have a city unfortified in time of war. Bees will 
not rob while the flowers yield honey freely, but in the spring 
and fall, be careful. 
By observing the foregoing rules the bee-keeper need sel- 
dom if ever loose bees by robbery. 
THE BEE-MOTH. 
The bee-moth has the reputation of being the arch-enemy 
of bees. It first made its appearance in this State about 
thirty-five years since. For a few years after its ravages 
seemed greater than of late years. 
Like the fly which deposits its eggs in fresh meat that her 
young maggots may have plenty of appropriate food, so the 
bee-moth follows the bee and deposits her eggs on or near 
the oombs, which is the natural food of her larva) or worms. 
They never eat honey but wax exclusively. Honey in the 
oombs is a great hindrance to their progress, and combs im- 
mersed in honey would be entirely safe from them. 
They will develop from the egg to the full-sized worm in 
a few days among the empty combs, if the weather is warm. 
Cold weather retards their development. Eggs may remain 
in the hive from fall until spring without hatching. This 
seems to be the manner in which they are preserved over 
the winter, as the moth seldom appears before June. 
If empty combs are left exposed to tho severe freezing of 
