28 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jan., 1898, 
Entomology. 
BEES AND ORANGE BLOSSOMS. 
THERE seems to be an impression amongst some orchardists that bees are 
injurious to fruit trees, and especially to the orange-tree, as it is believed that 
in seeking for honey they eat away the heart of the blossom. 
A letter to this effect which we have received from an orchardist induceg 
us to give our own experience, and also that which is most conclusive—the 
opinion of Mr. Henry Tryon, Entomologist, as embodied in the very able paper 
he forwards on the subject. 
This has certainly not been our experience. On a sugar plantation at 
Pimpama we kept a quantity of bees, and several hives were placed ona circular 
lawn surrounded by orange-trees—principally mandarins. During the blossom. 
ing season the bees worked hard on the trees, but no bad result followed. The 
orange crop was very good. We have also noticed a large mandarin orange-tree 
at Nundah, which was frequented by countless bees, and yet the tree bore very 
heavily. 1t may be observed that the bee seeks very delicate blossoms, such ay 
those of the silver wattle, but without any injurious effect on the after-crop of 
seed. The scarlet clover is feeundated by the labours of the humble bee, and if 
the insect ate its way into the flower surely such a large one as the humble bee 
would be able to effect serious damage. From personal experience we should 
be inclined to assert that the bee is not to be charged with the crime of ruining 
an orange orchard. If that were so, then the orchardists of orange-growin 
countries would long since have notified the fact to the world, and the bee 
would have been classed with the fruit-fly as a noxious insect. It is possible 
that entomologists may be able to show that the bee has the power of cuttin 
away obstructions to its progress towards the honey-cells of flowers; but the 
have not as yet told us that they exercise the power injuriously. At all events, 
our experience, which extends over many years, embracing two orchards of 
several thousand orange-trees, has not given us any cause to banish the bee 
from the neighbourhood of the trees. 
Mr. H, Tryon, to whom the question has been submitted, has supplied the 
following remarks, which may not be altogether devoid of interest.—EKd. Q. A.J, 
BEES AND ORANGE BLOSSOMS. 
By HENRY TRYON, 
Entomologist. \ 
In dealing with this subject, suggested by J. Emmerson’s letter, one may 
inquire at the outset whether it be a fact or not that the ordinary honey bee, 
that frequents—as is a matter of common observation—the flowers of the orange, 
injures these or the tree that bears them in any way, either intentionally or as 
a consequence of this visitation. 
Now, the writer has never received any testimony—except that above 
referred to—that this is so, either from orchardist or agriculturist; moreover, 
; 
the extensive literature relating to the orange and its culture on the one hand _ 
and to the honey bee on the other, as far as can be at present ascertained, is _ 
alike silent on the subject. 
In considering, in the absence of any direct testimony as to the fact of 
such occurrence, to what extent it is possible for the bee to occasion damage 
to the orange, one may profitably dwell upon the nature of the harm that 
this insect occasionally inflicts upon the flowers or fruit of other plants. 
