Bee Diseases and Enemies 
411 
to the loss of bees in the spring due to the fact that the 
adults have been weakened by poor wintering and die faster 
than they can be replaced by emerging brood. This is 
therefore discussed in the chapter on wintering. 
ENEMIES OF BEES 
Most books on beekeeping devote considerable attention 
to the enemies of bees, of which there are several. Since they 
are relatively unimpor¬ 
tant, however, the dis¬ 
cussion will here be con¬ 
fined to the two species of 
wax-moth. These do no 
damage to strong healthy 
colonies of bees properly 
cared for, and if seen in 
the hive they indicate weakness. This weakness may be 
due to queenlcssness or lack of stores, but the most common 
cause is probably a brood disease. Beekeepers frequently 
attribute the loss from disease to some other cause and wax- 
moths are most frequently blamed for the losses observed. 
Fig. 170.- 
Wax-moth in natural posi¬ 
tion at rest. 
The wax-moth (Galleria mellonella). 
The larva; of this moth (Figs. 170, 171 and 172) destroy 
combs by burrowing through them, constructing tunnels of silk 
Fig. 171. — Wax-moth, male. Enlarged. 
