ENEMIES OF BEES. 
243 
Kai ly in the Spring, before the stocks become populous, 
the bees should be driven up among their combs by 
smoke, and the bottom-boards cleansed (p. 221). It too 
frequently happens that, in the common hives, nothnig can 
be effectually done, even when the bee-keeper is awaie of 
the plague within. With movable frames, however, the 
combs, and all parts of the hives, may be carefully 
cleansed, and if a stock is weak or queeuless, the proper 
remedies may be easily applied. If a feeble stock cannot . 
be strengthened so as to protect its empty combs, they ' 
may be taken away until the bees are numerous enough 
to need them. 
if the bee-moth were so constituted as to require but a 
small amount of heat for its full development, it would 
become e.vceedingly numerous early in the Spring, and 
might easily enter the hives and deposit its eggs where it 
pleases: for at this sc.ason, not only is there no guard 
maintained by the bees at night, but large portions of 
tlieir comb are quite uiqirotected. How does every fact 
in the history of the bee, when properly investigated, 
point with unerring certainty to the wisdom of Him who 
made it! 
Combs having no brood, may be smoked with the fumes / 
of burning sulphur, to kill the eggs or worms of the / 
moth. If kept from the bees, they should be carefully 
protected, in a dry place, from the moth, and esamiued 
occasionally, to be smoked again if any worms are 
found. 
Directions have been given on page 140 for preventing 
oominon hives from swarming so often that they cannot 
protect their empty combs. If not prevented from 
over-swanning, in the mov.able-comb hives, by methods 
"'Inch have been so fully described, some of the combs 
01 the mother-stock may be given to the after-swarms. 
